South Korea tightens quarantine on Chinese poultry after detecting avian influenza genes SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - South Korea has tightened inspections on processed poultry from China after the country’s quarantine authority detected genes linked to avian influenza in a shipment of duck ham. The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency said Friday that the 21-ton shipment, imported on Nov. 2, tested positive for AI genetic material during routine screening. Officials emphasized that the finding did not involve a live virus and posed no risk of infection. The products were either destroyed or sent back and never reached consumers. The batch originated from a facility located near a Chinese plant where AI genes were found in August — a discovery that prompted Seoul to suspend imports from that site at the time. Now, regulators are expanding their caution. The agency has temporarily blocked imports from all producers within the same industrial complex and plans to run enhanced inspections on processed poultry from two additional areas in Inner Mongolia over the next month. “We will continue rigorous inspections of imported livestock products to prevent the entry of animal diseases,” said Choi Jeong-rok, the agency’s chief. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-14 14:38:27

South Korea, US release details of bilateral trade and security agreements SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - South Korea and the U.S. have completed a joint fact sheet detailing the two countries' trade and security agreements, President Lee Jae Myung said during a press briefing on Friday. "Trade negotiations and security consultations, the biggest variables affecting the country's national security and the economy, have finally been concluded," Lee said. It comes about two weeks after Lee reached a tariff-related deal with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Gyeongju late last month. The agreement includes Seoul's US$350 billion investment plan in the U.S., with $200 billion allocated to strategic industries and $150 billion to shipbuilding, in return for lowering reciprocal tariffs on cars, parts, and other products from 25 percent to 15 percent. To minimize the impact on the foreign exchange market, the annual investment cap is set at $20 billion. The fact sheet includes Washington's approval of South Korea's plan to build nuclear-powered submarines using U.S.-supplied fuel, as well as a U.S. commitment to support for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel and enriching uranium. In a statement released by the White House, the U.S. said it "supports the process that will lead to civil uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing for peaceful uses." The fact sheet also includes provisions regarding the continued presence of American forces here and the transfer of wartime operational control to South Korea during Lee's term. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-14 14:29:48

HMM's $2.8 billion value slide fuels talk of POSCO takeover SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - HMM's market value has fallen by more than 4 trillion won ($2.8 billion) in the past five months, sharpening speculation that POSCO Holdings could soon move to acquire South Korea's largest container line as the carrier struggles with collapsing freight rates and a steep drop in profits. POSCO signaled last month during its third-quarter earnings call that a potential deal remained in its "early review" phase and that no significant progress had been made. Still, people familiar with the matter say the steelmaker has assembled a heavyweight advisory team — including Samil PwC and Boston Consulting Group — to explore the feasibility of an acquisition. The renewed scrutiny comes as HMM on Thursday posted an earnings shock for the July-to-September period. Operating profit plummeted 80 percent from a year earlier to 296.8 billion won, deepening the decline from the second quarter, when income slipped 64 percent. The carrier blamed the rout on deteriorating global shipping conditions. The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index averaged 1,481 points in the third quarter, down 52 percent from a year earlier, as trade volumes weakened under escalating tariff disputes and a glut of Chinese capacity weighed on prices. HMM said its performance remained "relatively high' in a depressed market, but investors have been unconvinced. The company's shares have dropped 19 percent since mid-June to 19,420 won as of Thursday market closure, erasing roughly 4.5 trillion won in market capitalization and bringing its value to 18.35 trillion won. Analysts see little chance of a rebound as geopolitical tensions and pricing pressure persist. "Global container market rates remain fluid depending on carriers' supply adjustments, with structural limitations to fare increases," said Jung Yeon-seung, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities. "While HMM is diversifying its fleet led by bulk carriers, near-term operating profit recovery will be challenging as container rates stabilize downward." For POSCO, timing may be favorable. HMM's share price now sits nearly 30 percent below the 26,200 won price used in the company's 2.2 trillion won buyback completed in September. Attention is focused on whether the carrier's main shareholder, state-owned Korea Development Bank, will move to divest its stake. POSCO has acknowledged that it is reviewing potential synergies from an acquisition, though KDB has said all options remain open. The Korea Ocean Business Corporation, which holds a similar-sized stake, said it is working to identify a "private" owner for HMM but stressed that discussions remain preliminary. "We alone cannot make any decisions, and we are to cooperate with any decisions made with related government bodies," a KOBC spokesperson said. HMM — formerly Hyundai Merchant Marine — absorbed key assets and the trans-Pacific East Coast route of Hanjin Shipping after its collapse in 2017. KDB owns 35.42 percent of the company and KOBC 35.08 percent, with their combined stakes temporarily diluted during the share buyback before rising again after a retirement of roughly 8.1 percent of outstanding shares. POSCO faces mounting pressures of its own, including weak steel demand, high U.S. tariffs and persistent Chinese dumping. Its fast-growing battery materials division is also pushing forward with diversification amid sluggish electric vehicle sales. The group spends an estimated 3 trillion won annually on logistics to import coal, iron ore and battery materials, and it has argued that an HMM acquisition could lower freight costs while offering a hedge against global supply-chain disruptions. But the idea has met resistance from Korea's shipping industry. The Korea Shipowners' Association and several domestic operators have voiced strong opposition, warning that "if POSCO, whose main business is steel, acquires HMM, not only will professional shipping management become difficult, but the entire Korean shipping industry will face heightened risks should POSCO's business deteriorate." 2025-11-14 14:28:19

Study finds crypto prediction markets drew global attention to S. Korea's impeachment SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - A research paper published on November 12, 2025, in the MDPI-published journal Information examines how cryptocurrency users around the world reacted to and financially engaged with South Korea's 2024 impeachment crisis. The article, titled "From E-Democracy to C-Democracy: Analyzing Transnational Political Discourse During South Korea's 2024 Presidential Impeachment on Polymarket," analyzes real-time activity on a blockchain prediction platform during the constitutional showdown. The study was conducted by Park Han-woo, Kim Jae-hun, and Norhayatun Syamilah Osman of YeungNam University's Digital Convergence Business program, Cyber Emotions Research Center and Big Local Big Pulse Lab. Park, who has examined digital political behavior for many years, shared the publication to highlight how online engagement is changing as financial tools and Web3 platforms become more common. The paper focuses on Polymarket, a blockchain-based prediction site where users place bets on political outcomes using cryptocurrency. On December 14, 2024, as the National Assembly passed the impeachment bill, more than 15.8 million dollars had already been wagered on whether the president would leave office before the end of the year. Users overseas adjusted their positions in real time as events unfolded in Seoul. The authors describe this emerging pattern as "cryptocurrency-enabled democracy," or c-democracy. In this model, political conversation and financial speculation take place in the same space. Users debate, share links, or post casual remarks while expressing their expectations through money staked on the result. The study analyzed 582 comments from 83 users shortly after the vote. Although Polymarket does not release demographic information, many commenters identified themselves as posting from the United States, Europe or Asia. The authors argue that this shows how prediction markets can create transnational communities around domestic political events. Distinct user groups appeared in the data. Some posted detailed political analysis and outside sources, while others reacted with short comments or memes. A smaller group placed large wagers while saying very little. One of the study's key observations is that expressive participation and financial participation did not always align. The authors acknowledge the limits of studying a single event and a crypto-literate user base, but they note that the impeachment crisis offered a clear view of how online political participation is evolving as digital communities and financial tools overlap. The study was submitted on September 30, revised on November 6, accepted on November 8 and published on November 12 by MDPI. The publisher operates a large network of open-access journals and is recognized for its rapid publication. 2025-11-14 13:55:58

KAI, Samsung team up to develop AI chips for defense systems SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - Korea Aerospace Industries has formed a strategic partnership with Samsung Electronics to develop next-generation semiconductors for defense applications. KAI said Friday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Samsung at its headquarters in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, to cooperate on the research, design and production of artificial intelligence and radio-frequency chips for aerospace and defense systems. The companies plan to establish joint working groups and build a long-term technology roadmap that adapts advanced civilian semiconductor technology for use in military hardware. The initiative is part of a broader effort by KAI to localize critical components used in weapon systems, from communications to sensors, amid rising geopolitical uncertainty and global supply-chain disruptions. Defense semiconductors require exceptional reliability and security standards, and the companies said they would prioritize meeting those demands while developing a more resilient supply base. KAI said the partnership would expand over time to include a wider range of defense-focused chip technologies and broader ecosystem development. “This strategic partnership with Samsung, a global leader in semiconductors, will be crucial for developing on-device AI semiconductors in the defense sector,” Cha Jae-byeong, KAI’s chief executive, said in a statement. “We aim to enhance South Korea’s defense industry and sovereign AI competitiveness.” Han Jin-man, president of Samsung’s foundry division, said the agreement would help advance the localization of defense-grade AI chips while reinforcing the domestic semiconductor ecosystem. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-14 13:45:32

South Korea's import prices surge to 9-month high on weak won SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - South Korea’s import prices rose in October to their highest level in nine months, pushed up by a sharp depreciation of the won. Export prices climbed even more steeply, reflecting both currency effects and strengthening demand for semiconductors and metals. Data released Friday by the Bank of Korea showed that import prices increased 1.9 percent in October from the previous month, the fastest pace since January, after modest 0.3 percent gains in August and September. The central bank said the slide in the Korean currency effectively erased the benefit of cheaper crude oil. Dubai crude fell from an average of $70.10 a barrel in September to $65 in October, but the won weakened from 1,391.83 to 1,423.36 per dollar over the same period, lifting overall import costs. Raw material imports fell 0.9 percent on the month because of lower oil prices, but intermediate goods — including computers, optical equipment and chemical products — rose 3.8 percent, signaling higher input costs for manufacturers. Coal and petroleum products dipped 1.5 percent on cheaper feedstock oil. Within intermediate goods, computers, electronic and optical equipment saw the steepest price increases, rising 9.7 percent. Basic metals climbed 5.7 percent, electrical equipment 2.8 percent and chemical products 1.5 percent. Prices for semiconductor-related materials showed particularly sharp gains: printed circuit boards rose 8.3 percent, ammonia used in chip fabrication jumped 15.2 percent and refined copper, essential for wiring and metallization, advanced 10.3 percent. Export prices rose even faster, climbing 4.1 percent in October after a 0.5 percent increase in September. The jump was driven by the weaker currency and solid global demand for Korean-made goods. Prices for computers, electronic and optical equipment — a category that includes semiconductors — surged 10.5 percent. Basic metals rose 4.9 percent, while transport equipment, including passenger cars, gained 2 percent. Memory chips posted some of the most dramatic increases. DRAM prices surged 20.1 percent and flash memory jumped 41.2 percent from the previous month, buoyed by surging investment in artificial intelligence data centers and rising demand for high-performance chips. Metal exports also gained. Refined copper rose 9.9 percent, supported by increasing orders for high-voltage power cables. South Korea remains a major force in the global copper industry, home to LS MnM, the second-largest single-site copper smelter in the world. Silver bars climbed 18.8 percent, helped by strong demand for solar panels — which consume significant amounts of silver — as well as renewed interest in safe-haven assets amid global uncertainty. 2025-11-14 13:01:05

Asian markets drop on Wall Street losses, diminished Fed cut hopes SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - Asian stock markets declined broadly on Friday morning, dragged lower by renewed concerns over U.S. interest rates and a downturn in global technology shares. In South Korea, the benchmark Kospi dropped 2.5 percent to 4,066.30 as of 11:22 a.m., while the tech-heavy Kosdaq slipped 1.3 percent to 906.20. The country’s three most valuable companies — each with a market capitalization exceeding 100 trillion won, or about $68.6 billion — all traded lower. Samsung Electronics fell 3.9 percent to 98,800 won and SK hynix tumbled 5.9 percent to 576,000 won, deepening losses after modest declines the previous day. LG Energy Solution, the country’s third-largest company by market value, shed 1.2 percent. Hyundai Motor slipped 1.4 percent and Kia edged down 0.3 percent. HYBE, the entertainment agency behind the K-pop group NewJeans, gave back 0.3 percent following a sharp rally on Thursday after the group formally returned to its subsidiary ADOR. HYBE, best known globally for managing BTS, has been a bellwether for investor sentiment in South Korea’s cultural and entertainment sectors. “The local market is under pressure from the Fed’s hawkish comments, fading expectations for a December rate cut and a pullback in U.S. A.I. stocks,” said Han Ji-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities. “Still, some rotation into other sectors such as biotech and low-price-to-book stocks could help limit downside pressure.” Japan’s Nikkei 225 also declined, falling 1.6 percent to 50,486.68 as of 11:23 a.m. SoftBank Group slid 7.4 percent after a drop in the previous session, while Toyota, Honda and Sony all traded lower. The regionwide selloff followed a weak session on Wall Street, where major indexes sank as investors recalibrated expectations for interest rate cuts. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 1.7 percent, the S&P 500 dropped 1.7 percent and the Nasdaq composite slid 2.3 percent. Technology stocks led the decline: Nvidia dropped 3.6 percent and Tesla plunged 6.6 percent. The PHLX Semiconductor Index lost 3.7 percent. Although the United States ended its 43-day government shutdown this week, investors remained cautious as the release of delayed economic data — including key inflation and labor reports — threatened to add volatility. Federal Reserve officials also struck a hawkish tone, signaling reluctance to move quickly on rate cuts. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite slipped 0.2 percent to 4,023.00, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 1 percent to 26,805.55 by late morning. 2025-11-14 12:56:30

North Korea slams G7 statement on denuclearization SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - North Korean on Friday denounced a recent joint statement by the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries earlier this week. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui expressed "strong dissatisfaction and regret" over what she described as "hostile acts" by the G7 ministers in condemning the statement. The statement came on Wednesday, after the ministers wrapped up the G7 gathering in Canada, where they reaffirmed North Korea's complete denuclearization. She added, "The way of ensuring the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the Asia-Pacific region is not the advocating of the unrealistic 'denuclearization' but the respecting of the Constitution of the ." Choe also claimed, "In the present grim geopolitical environment, the possession of nukes is the most correct option to deter the most dangerous and hostile states." * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-14 11:13:27

TRAVEL: Gyeongju's historic sites draw visitors amid autumn foliage GYEONGJU, November 14 (AJP) - South Korea's southeastern city of Gyeongju used to be the most popular field trip destination for students. Once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla that thrived for over 1,000 years, the city, home to numerous national treasures, still attracts hordes of visitors and tourists. Among its many landmarks, the most iconic are Bulguksa temple and Cheomseongdae observatory. The temple, one of the country's most famous tourist attractions, is especially crowded at this time of year, as vibrant late-autumn foliage creates a stunning backdrop to its centuries-old structures, stone pagodas, and pavilions. Following the city's successful hosting of this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, several photo spots have seen a surge in tourists. This includes the temple's iconic two-part stone stairway, with Cheongungyo forming the lower section and Baekungyo the upper, featuring a gracefully curved, rainbow-shaped arch at its base. Bulguksa, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the country's most famous Buddhist temples, dating back to the ancient period of Silla, and has undergone several renovations and additions over the centuries. Other must-see masterpieces are stone pagodas Dabotap and Seokgatap, standing in front of the main hall. Dabotap exudes intricate, ornate elegance with sophisticated craftsmanship, while Seokgatap, simpler in form, is admired for its clean symmetry and refined minimalism. They are considered among the finest examples of stone pagodas. Another must-see is Cheomseongdae in the nearly area, a stone tower that served as an astronomical observatory for the ancient kingdom. Recognized as the world's oldest surviving structure of its kind, it is also one of the few that has been preserved in its original form in South Korea. 2025-11-14 10:44:43

Foreign investors extend buying spree in Korean stocks but retreat from bonds SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - Foreign investors extended their months-long buying streak in South Korean equities in October, even as they pulled back from the country’s bond market, according to data released Friday by the Financial Supervisory Service. Overseas investors purchased a net 4.2 trillion won ($3.1 billion) in Korean stocks last month, marking the sixth straight month of net inflows. The bulk of the buying was concentrated in the benchmark KOSPI market. By the end of October, foreign investors held 1,250 trillion won in Korean equities — about 30.1 percent of total market capitalization. European investors led the charge, adding a net 4.5 trillion won in equities. Asia-based investors followed with net purchases of 100 billion won. Investors from the Middle East, however, were net sellers, offloading about 600 billion won. By country, Britain and Ireland emerged as the most active buyers, with net purchases of 2.4 trillion won and 1.3 trillion won, respectively. U.S. investors sold a net 1 trillion won, while Kuwait shed 600 billion won. The upbeat sentiment in stocks contrasted with foreign activity in South Korea’s bond market. Although investors bought 3.8 trillion won in bonds in October, redemptions totaled 4 trillion won, resulting in a net withdrawal of 178 billion won. Foreign holdings of Korean bonds stood at 307 trillion won at month’s end, or 11.2 percent of all outstanding bonds. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-14 10:15:33