A number ticks down at the family table SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) -In "Number One", Ha-min (Choi Woo-shik) notices something unsettling: each time he eats his mother’s cooking, an invisible number drops. When he understands that zero would mean the end of his mother, Eun-sil (Jang Hye-jin), the meals become acts of love—and resistance—against time itself. Set for release on Feb. 11, the film draws from a tender premise by Japanese writer Uwano Sora. Adapted from the short novel There Are 328 Times Left to Eat My Mother’s Home‑Cooked Meals, the story weaves a gentle fantasy into the most familiar of rituals. At the mother’s table, minutes are measured in bites, and distance inside a family is felt in what goes unsaid. At the event, director Kim Tae-yong appeared with the cast, including Gong Seung-yeon. For Choi, the film is a homecoming twice over: a reunion with Kim 12 years after Giant, and a return to a mother-son bond with Jang following Parasite (2019). Here, that bond is quieter—and heavier—counted not in years, but in the meals they still have left. 2026-01-30 14:05:09

KG Mobility's cumulative sales in Turkey top 50,000 vehicles SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - South Korean automaker KG Mobility (KGM) said on Friday that cumulative vehicle sales in Turkey, one of its key export markets, exceeded 50,000 units through last year. The company said it maintained strong momentum through improved product competitiveness and aggressive marketing, exporting 11,122 vehicles to Turkey in 2024 and 13,337 in 2025. Turkey was KGM’s largest export market over the 2024–2025 period and accounted for 19 percent of its total exports last year. EV models led the growth, including 6,722 units of the Torres EVX and 1,000 units of the Musso EV, alongside 2,630 units of the internal-combustion Musso, the company said. KGM exported a total of 70,286 vehicles last year, up 12.7 percent from 62,378 a year earlier, marking its strongest export performance since 2014, when shipments reached 72,011 units. By region, Western Europe accounted for 22,496 vehicles, or 32 percent of total exports, followed by Eastern Europe with 19,064 units, or 27.1 percent, and the Middle East with 17,231 units, or 24.5 percent. By country, Turkey ranked first, followed by Hungary with 9,508 vehicles and Germany with 6,213. KGM said Turkey’s strong preference for sport utility vehicles reflects practical considerations such as road conditions, housing environments and family travel patterns. Demand for eco-friendly vehicles, including electric cars, is also rising as consumers seek to reduce fuel costs. To sustain growth in Turkey, the company plans to launch the new Musso and expand offerings tailored to local demand, including adding telematics features to electrified models such as the Torres EVX and Musso EV. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-30 13:33:43

South Korea vs. North Korea: Why a war scenario defies conventional logic SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - The two Koreas are de facto still at war, separated by the world’s most heavily fortified border. That reality has locked both states into an unusually intense and enduring investment in defense. South Korea has sought leverage through an alliance with the world’s dominant military power, the United States. North Korea, unable to fully rely even on like-minded partners such as China and Russia, has instead pursued deterrence through nuclear armament. Pyongyang’s deepening military cooperation with Moscow during the Ukraine war has heightened concerns. North Korea has supplied artillery shells, missiles and even personnel in exchange for billions of dollars in economic benefits, access to Russian military technology and participation in joint operations. This cooperation is widely believed to be giving North Korean forces valuable real-world exposure to drones, electronic warfare and modern battlefield integration — experience that could gradually sharpen its asymmetric capabilities despite a persistent conventional gap. Thanks to its economic scale and manufacturing base, South Korea holds an unrivaled advantage over the North in purely conventional terms. The 2026 Military Strength Ranking released by U.S.-based Global Firepower (GFP) placed South Korea fifth out of 145 countries, while North Korea ranked 31st. Yet modern warfare is no longer defined by conventional force alone. Cyber operations, drones, artificial intelligence and information warfare — as seen in recent conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East and Latin America — complicate any linear comparison of military power. Ground forces: modern armor vs. massed firepower On land, the balance is often framed as South Korea’s K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers and K239 rocket artillery versus North Korea’s larger but aging inventory of tanks, guns and long-range artillery. South Korea fields roughly 2,500 tanks, including substantial numbers of modern K1A2 and K2 main battle tanks equipped with advanced optics, digital fire control systems and composite armor. Across the Demilitarized Zone, North Korea is estimated to possess more than 4,000 tanks on paper, including indigenous Pokpung-ho variants derived from Soviet-era T-62 technology, alongside legacy platforms such as the T-34/85, T-54/55 and the Chonma family. “Most of North Korea’s tanks are obsolete,” said Choi Seung-woo, director at the Seoul Defense Forum Center for Nuclear Strategy. “When you put together accounts from senior and military defectors, many say they rarely trained with real tracked armored vehicles. That doesn’t mean we should underestimate them — but fuel shortages are severe enough that even fighter pilots reportedly fly only infrequently.” Artillery remains one domain where Pyongyang has long pursued both psychological and military leverage. Long-range systems such as 170-millimeter Koksan guns and 240-millimeter multiple rocket launchers — some of which have appeared on the Ukraine battlefield — are positioned within range of the Seoul metropolitan area. Many of these systems are dug into hardened positions and could unleash intense opening salvos. Studies suggest North Korea could fire tens of thousands of rounds toward Seoul in the initial phase of a conflict. Sustaining that tempo, however, would quickly run into logistical limits and survivability problems, as many systems are towed or mounted on aging vehicles vulnerable to counter-battery fire. Air power: stealth dominance vs. an aging fleet In the air, the disparity is even starker. South Korea operates a layered mix of fifth- and fourth-generation aircraft, led by F-35A stealth fighters, supported by F-15K Slam Eagles for deep strike missions and large numbers of KF-16s as multirole workhorses. The domestically developed KF-21 is scheduled to enter service from March, further widening the gap. North Korea, by contrast, relies largely on legacy Soviet- and Chinese-designed aircraft, including small numbers of MiG-29s and larger fleets of MiG-23s, MiG-21s and Su-25 attack jets. While these platforms can still pose localized threats — particularly under the cover of dense surface-to-air missile networks — they lack the sensor fusion, survivability and stealth characteristics of South Korea’s modern fleet. “North Korea has large quantities of conventional weapons and manpower, but most of its equipment is outdated, and only a small fraction qualifies as genuinely high-tech,” said Jung Kyeong-woon, a research fellow at the Korea Association of Military Studies. He noted that South Korea fields a smaller but far more capable force, reinforced by U.S. intelligence, surveillance and high-end strike support. Naval strength: expeditionary navy vs. coastal threat At sea, the Republic of Korea Navy has invested heavily in blue-water capabilities. Its KDX-III Sejong the Great-class Aegis destroyers function as floating command centers and area air-defense hubs, while successive batches of FFX frigates provide flexible anti-submarine, anti-air and anti-ship capabilities. Below the surface, Type-214 submarines with air-independent propulsion and the newer 3,000-ton KSS-III class give Seoul the ability to deploy cruise missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles — capabilities demonstrated through successful tests since 2021. North Korea’s navy, by comparison, remains focused on coastal defense, relying on small surface combatants, patrol craft and a large fleet of aging diesel-electric submarines. Still, leader Kim Jong-un has pushed “naval nuclearization” as a strategic priority, emphasizing SLBM-capable submarines, nuclear-powered vessels and missile-armed surface ships. As part of this effort, Pyongyang unveiled the 5,000-ton destroyer Choe Hyon-ho, reportedly equipped with phased-array radar and vertical launch cells. While North Korea has promoted it as an indigenous “Aegis-class” destroyer, its actual combat effectiveness remains unproven. The asymmetric edge: why nuclear weapons reshape the balance Viewed purely through a conventional lens, South Korea has pulled decisively ahead across land, air and sea, even if North Korea still fields greater numbers of tanks and artillery on paper. The true balance on the peninsula, however, turns on a fundamentally different category of force: nuclear weapons and other asymmetric tools whose effects are global and psychological rather than regional and tactical. North Korea underscored this reality with the successful test of the Hwasong-19 in October 2024. With an estimated range exceeding 15,000 kilometers, the missile can theoretically strike anywhere in the continental U.S. — a capability that transforms the strategic calculus in ways no conventional comparison can capture. “Nuclear missiles carry international political weight,” Jung said. “Their impact extends geographically to a global range and psychologically far beyond anything conventional weapons can achieve. Conventional forces remain largely confined to regional military effects.” North Korea is expected to seek integration of nuclear and conventional forces in wartime, but the consequences of nuclear use depend entirely on timing, scale and intent — variables that defy precise modeling. For this reason, analysts generally avoid collapsing nuclear and conventional power into a single numerical score. In the Korean context, war cannot be understood through conventional metrics alone. The peninsula’s balance of power is shaped less by tanks or aircraft counts than by deterrence, escalation dynamics and the shadow cast by weapons that make any conflict inherently global. 2026-01-30 12:02:04

Trade minister to hold further talks with US officials after Trump threatens higher tariffs SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - South Korea will continue talks with U.S. trade officials this week to resolve any misunderstanding after U.S. President Donald Trump's abrupt threat to raise tariffs on its closest ally earlier this week. Just a day after his arrival in Washington, D.C., Minister of Trade and Industry Kim Jung-kwan met with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday to figure out what is behind Trump's tariff threat. Trump on Monday warned he would raise reciprocal tariffs on Seoul from 15 percent back to 25 percent, citing delays in implementing a bilateral agreement reached in late October. During his meeting with Lutnick, Kim reportedly stressed Seoul's commitment to fulfilling the country's investment pledge as part of the broader deal first struck in late July and finalized months later, although the meeting apparently did not produce any concrete results. Shortly after the meeting, Kim told reporters that the two sides discussed many issues and agreed to meet again. Kim is also scheduled to meet with other senior U.S. officials including Energy Secretary Chris Wright, before returning home. 2026-01-30 11:29:15

Semiconductor rally lifts KOSPI to fresh record as SK hynix tops 900,000 won SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) – Asian equities opened higher on Friday, with South Korean stocks leading the way. The KOSPI extended its rally to another intraday record, with SK hynix breaking above a new milestone. SK hynix shares climbed for a fourth straight session on Friday, breaking above the 900,000-won mark for the first time on record. As of 9:58 a.m. Seoul time, the stock was trading up 6.85 percent at 920,000 won. Improved investor sentiment followed its record earnings announced on Jan. 28, along with solid results from major U.S. technology companies overnight in New York and expectations of a red-hot earnings streak by the two memory behemoths as they report record results for 2025. The KOSPI was trading at 5,260.32 as of 10:48 a.m. local time, up 0.75 percent, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ rose 0.11 percent to 1,165.74. Individual investors snapped up a net 312.5 billion won ($235 million), while foreign investors and institutions offloaded a net 102.2 billion won and 240.4 billion won, respectively. Among heavyweight stocks, Samsung Electronics rose 2.43 percent to 164,600 won, while LG Energy Solution fell 1.20 percent to 415,000 won. Samsung Life Insurance dropped 0.89 percent to 190,300 won, and Samsung Biologics slipped 0.73 percent to 1,763,000 won. Automakers traded lower, with Hyundai Motor falling 3.60 percent to 509,000 won and Kia sliding 0.97 percent to 153,400 won, as tariff-related cost pressures continued to weigh on the sector. Amid ongoing tariff headwinds, Hyundai Motor is accelerating efforts to expand production in the United States. The automaker plans to raise U.S. output to more than 1.2 million vehicles this year and increase the share of locally produced vehicles to 80 percent by 2030. The group sold 1.84 million vehicles in the U.S. last year, capturing an 11.3 percent market share, but produced only about 700,000 units locally, leaving around 60 percent of U.S. sales dependent on imports. As a result, Hyundai Motor’s tariff burden reached about 7.2 trillion won last year, contributing to a 24.2 percent drop in operating profit despite strong U.S. sales. Expanding U.S. production is widely seen as necessary to restore price competitiveness by reducing tariff, currency and logistics costs. Defense and aerospace shares declined, with Hanwha Aerospace down 0.62 percent at 1,292,000 won. Shipbuilders also traded lower. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries dropped 1.53 percent to 579,000 won, while Hanwha Ocean fell 2.04 percent to 139,000 won. Risk-off sentiment intensified after U.S. stocks fell sharply overnight on technology-led losses and renewed concerns over a potential artificial intelligence bubble. Adding to caution, the Trump administration again named South Korea a currency monitoring country in the U.S. Treasury Department’s latest semiannual report, pushing the dollar higher in early trading. The dollar was trading at 1,425.90 won, up 0.90 won from the previous day. Elsewhere in Asia, Japanese shares were higher, with the Nikkei 225 gaining 0.31 percent to 53,538.44. 2026-01-30 11:13:49

Former justice minister named special ambassador for climate SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - Former Justice Minister Kang Kum-sil has been named South Korea's special ambassador for climate and environment, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday. She will take up the one-year ambassadorial role to tackle climate and environmental issues while promoting the government's efforts. Having served as the country's first female justice minister under the late Roh Moo-hyun administration, Kang also led the Democratic Party's (DP) election campaign for last year's presidential election. According to the ministry, Kang, in her new role, will promote the country's climate and environment-related policies at various domestic and international events and conferences. 2026-01-30 10:57:00

Daewoong Pharma inks $20.5 million Nabota supply contract for Mexico SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - South Korea's Daewoong Pharmaceutical has signed a 29.5 billion won ($20.5 million) export contract to supply its botulinum toxin product Nabota to Mexico. With the agreement, Nabota has entered Mexico as well as Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile — the five largest aesthetic and plastic-surgery markets in Latin America, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Daewoong said it has expanded Nabota’s presence in the region in stages since first entering Panama in 2015, followed by launches in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Chile. The company has signed export contracts in 17 of the region’s 20 countries, with commercial launches completed in 13 markets. M8, which was selected as Daewoong’s distribution partner for Mexico, has worked with the company since 2018 and previously led Nabota’s launch in Brazil. Daewoong said M8 adopted a differentiated distribution strategy by targeting aesthetic and dental clinics, while also competing in the dermatology and plastic-surgery segment. The company said the contract size has increased roughly 10-fold in five years since Nabota’s Brazil launch, adding that the two partners recently strengthened their cooperation with a Nabota supply agreement valued at about 180 billion won. “Mexico is the second-largest aesthetic and plastic-surgery market in Latin America after Brazil, making it a key strategic country in terms of market size,” said Yoon Jun-soo, head of Daewoong’s Nabota business division. “While the frequency of aesthetic procedures per capita remains lower than in South Korea, this points to significant growth potential, particularly in the premium toxin segment.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-30 10:45:31

HD Korea Shipbuilding wins order for liquefied CO2 carriers SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering said on Friday it has secured an order to build two liquefied carbon dioxide carriers. The company said it recently signed a contract with Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. to construct two LCO₂ carriers with a cargo capacity of 12,000 cubic meters each. The vessels will be built at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ shipyard in Ulsan and delivered to the shipowner in stages by the second half of 2029. Each ship measures 150 meters in length, 28 meters in width and 15 meters in height. The ships will be equipped with a cargo-handling system capable of safely transporting not only liquefied CO₂ but also liquefied petroleum gas, allowing for multipurpose cargo operations. The company said the ships will also feature liquefied natural gas dual-fuel propulsion engines to reduce pollutant emissions during operation. In addition, the vessels will incorporate ice-class design technology to ensure stable operations in polar regions such as the North Sea, and will be fitted with bow and stern thrusters to improve maneuverability during docking and undocking. A company official said HD Korea Shipbuilding has secured both low- and medium-pressure storage technologies in the LCO₂ carrier segment, which is expected to grow as global decarbonization efforts accelerate. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-30 09:58:46

UPDATE: Korea's factory output strongest in four months in December, slows for full 2025 *Updated with additional information and market response SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - South Korea’s factory output grew at its fastest pace in four months in December, driven by chip-led exports and a sharp rebound in construction, though growth slowed for full-year 2025 amid prolonged weakness in building activity. Mining and manufacturing production rose 1.7 percent from the previous month, rebounding from two consecutive contractions and accelerating from a 0.8 percent gain in November, according to data released Friday by the Ministry of Data and Statistics. Services output increased 1.1 percent on month, with retail sales rising 0.9 percent. Capital investment fell 3.6 percent, while construction investment surged 12.1 percent. Gains in manufacturing were primarily driven by semiconductors, where production rose 2.9 percent on month, marking a second straight month of expansion. The pace moderated from November’s 8.8 percent surge as the base effect from October’s slump began to fade. The most significant sector-specific rebound occurred in pharmaceuticals. After a 10.5 percent decline in November, output jumped 10.2 percent in December. Conversely, automobile production — a major pillar of the manufacturing base — fell 2.8 percent, marking its second consecutive monthly decrease. On a year-on-year basis, production of “other transport equipment,” including ships, surged 26.4 percent, driven by strong orders for specialized vessels such as LNG carriers. However, facility investment in this segment plunged 16.1 percent from the previous month, contributing to an overall 3.6 percent decline in total capital expenditure. Overall manufacturing shipments rose 2.5 percent. While shipments of automobiles and pharmaceuticals declined, semiconductors and electrical equipment anchored the aggregate gain. Both domestic and export demand showed strength, with domestic shipments rising 1.2 percent and export shipments climbing 4.0 percent. Korean markets were mixed. The KOSPI was trading at 5,273, up 1.0 percent, while the KOSDAQ remained virtually flat at 1,165. The dollar added 3.8 won to 1,438.8 won. Domestic front improves The retail sales index edged up 0.5 percent year on year, driven by a 4.5 percent increase in durable goods, particularly passenger cars. Still, sticky inflation weighed on spending. Semi-durable goods, such as clothing, fell 2.2 percent, while non-durable goods, including cosmetics, decreased 0.3 percent. Retail patterns also showed a stark divergence. Year-on-year sales at supermarkets and general stores fell 4.3 percent, department stores dropped 4.4 percent, and convenience stores declined 2.6 percent. In contrast, the retail index for passenger cars and fuel stations rose 5.3 percent. This suggests that while households are tightening their belts on food and daily necessities, spending on automotive-related items has remained elevated. A standout figure in the latest report was the performance of the construction sector. Construction output surged 12.1 percent from the previous month, reversing a downturn that had persisted for 19 months. The recovery was led by a 13.7 percent increase in building construction and a 7.4 percent rise in civil engineering. Construction orders also climbed 18.7 percent on month. Building orders, particularly in the residential segment, rose 21.2 percent, while civil engineering orders increased 13.0 percent. The surge in orders, however, was heavily concentrated in the public sector, which recorded a 65.2 percent jump in contracts. In contrast, private-sector orders — a key gauge of organic market demand — fell 1.3 percent. Analysts say that while output figures point to a short-term rebound, the divergence between public and private orders suggests the sector has yet to achieve a structural recovery. Five-year streak continues, but momentum falters For the full year of 2025, South Korea’s total industrial production edged up 0.5 percent, supported by synchronized gains in manufacturing and services. This marked the fifth consecutive year of expansion since 2021. Mining and manufacturing output rose 1.6 percent for the year, with semiconductors again leading the gains and other transport equipment providing a notable tailwind. Momentum, however, weakened toward year-end, with fourth-quarter production falling 3.2 percent from the previous quarter, signaling a cooling trend in late 2025. The service sector grew 1.9 percent for the year, supported by increased activity in health and social welfare as well as wholesale and retail trade. By contrast, the education sector contracted, weighing on overall service-sector growth. Despite the continued expansion, the pace of growth has slowed markedly. After surging 5.5 percent in 2021 on post-pandemic base effects, growth decelerated to 4.8 percent in 2022, 1.2 percent in 2023 and 1.5 percent in 2024. Last year’s 0.5 percent gain marked the first time since the recovery began that growth slipped below the 1 percent threshold. 2026-01-30 09:21:59

South Korea's ambassador to China wealthiest among senior officials SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - Ambassador to China Roh Jae-heon declared assets worth 53 billion won (US$38 million), making him the wealthiest among high-ranking officials, according to figures released by the Government Ethics Committee on Friday. Most of the assets held by the eldest son of former President Roh Tae-woo are in real estate, including land, buildings and residential properties registered under his or his spouse's name, along with savings and other holdings. His mother, the widow of the late president, owns a building valued at some 13 billion won. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun reported 2.19 billion won in assets, including his home in Seoul's tony district of Yongsan valued at 698 million won. Ambassador to the United Nations Hwang Joon-kook declared assets worth 5.22 billion won, consisting of an apartment in Yongsan and holdings in stocks and bonds. Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha disclosed 5.58 billion won in assets including a building worth roughly 3 billion won. About 23 secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae own an average of 2.7 billion won in assets. In South Korea, public officials and ambassadors are required to disclose their assets as part of transparency and anti-corruption measures. 2026-01-30 09:13:44