Asian stocks mixed early Wed amid conflicting US factors, USD/KRW near 1,470 SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - Asian stocks were mixed in early Wednesday trading as investors sidelined for a breakthrough in the U.S. fiscal standoff. In Seoul, the KOSPI swung the positive and negative before settling 0.6 percent higher at 4,133.36 by midday. The KOSDAQ rose 1.8 percent to reclaim the 900 level. Foreign investors continued to sell, pushing the Korean won down to near 1,470 per U.S. dollar. Analysts cited conflicting forces — hopes for a U.S. fiscal settlement and lingering pressure from the overnight drop in major American tech stocks — as key drivers of the early volatility. Among heavyweights, Samsung Electronics fell 1.6 percent to 101,800 won ($69), and SK hynix declined 2.8 percent to 602,000 won, following losses in U.S. chip and AI shares. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index slid 2.5 percent. The Nasdaq Composite dipped 0.3 percent to 23,468.30, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 gained 1.2 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively. NVIDIA sank 3 percent after reports that SoftBank Group had sold its entire stake, reviving concerns about an “AI bubble” and stretched valuations. Sentiment toward chipmakers remains divided. Worries about overinvestment continue to fuel bubble fears, even as strong earnings expectations attract buyers. Bloomberg estimates U.S. tech giants will spend roughly $320 billion this year on AI infrastructure, more than double the $151 billion invested in 2023, with the figure projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2031. Venture capital funding for AI startups surpassed $100 billion last year, hitting a record high. Morgan Stanley maintained an upbeat view on Korean memory shares, recently raising its price targets for Samsung Electronics to 175,000 won and SK hynix to 850,000 won, citing solid AI-driven memory demand. Automakers and defense names outperformed. Hyundai Motor rose 2.2 percent to 275,000 won, and Hanwha Aerospace gained 2.3 percent to 970,000 won. NCSoft jumped 6.3 percent to 244,000 won on enthusiasm for its upcoming Aion 2 title. Hana Securities lifted its target price by 15.4 percent to 300,000 won, citing strong earnings leverage. Analyst Lee Jun-ho said Aion 2 is “well-positioned to deliver explosive profit growth upon success,” noting NCSoft plans additional launches through 2026, including Limit Zero Breakers, Time Takers and Cinder City. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 edged up 0.03 percent to 50,857.50 as markets digested SoftBank’s unexpected NVIDIA divestment. SoftBank Group shares tumbled 4.8 percent to 21,600 yen ($140) after confirming it sold all 32.1 million NVIDIA shares last month for $5.83 billion. CFO Kazuhiko Fujihara said the sale was not driven by doubts about NVIDIA but to reallocate capital into new AI investments. Founder Masayoshi Son — who had previously lamented missing out on $150 billion in gains after an earlier NVIDIA exit — now faces fresh scrutiny over group strategy. SoftBank’s market cap, which had tripled by late October during the AI boom, has fallen more than 20 percent in the past week. At its peak on Oct. 29, SoftBank’s valuation reached ¥40.15 trillion ($260bn), narrowing the gap with Toyota to less than ¥10 trillion. Excluding SoftBank, most Japanese blue chips advanced. Toyota rose 1.8 percent to 3,203 yen, Honda climbed 2.3 percent to 1,559 yen, Sony gained 3.1 percent to 4,662 yen, and Fast Retailing edged up 0.2 percent to 58,760 yen. In China, the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.2 percent to 4,010.88, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.7 percent to 26,878.97. 2025-11-12 12:14:45

Korea's Oct job data flags persistent weakness in youth employment, record idled MZ SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - South Korea’s headline job figures for October extended their steady growth but also underscored persistent cracks in youth hiring and a record number of economically idled people in their 30s — a troubling sign for a country already strained by a fast-aging population and chronically low birth rate. According to data released Wednesday by the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the number of employed people added 193,000 from the same month a year ago to reach 29.04 million in October. Employment among those aged 40 to 49 saw the most notable improvement, with the employment rate rising 0.9 percentage point to 80.4 percent. In contrast, the rate for people aged 15 to 29 — a key barometer of youth labor conditions — fell 1 percentage point to 44.6 percent, marking the 18th straight month of decline. The slide coincides with the job slump in manufacturing, which remains critical for hiring. The overall unemployment rate stood at 2.2 percent, down 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier. But the seasonally adjusted jobless rate, regarded as a clearer gauge of underlying trends, inched up 0.1 percentage point on-year to 2.6 percent. Employment trends also diverged by gender. The rate for men slipped 0.3 percentage point to 76.4 percent, while that for women climbed 0.8 percentage point to 63.5 percent. By industry, health and social welfare services added the most positions, up 280,000. Arts, sports and leisure-related services posted the fastest growth pace, increasing 13.9 percent, or by 70,000 jobs. Service-sector activity strengthened overall, supported by government stimulus vouchers distributed to most households. Manufacturing shed 51,000 jobs, down 1.2 percent. Construction lost 123,000 positions, a 6 percent drop, while agriculture, forestry and fisheries decreased by 124,000, or 7.8 percent. By employment type, full-time jobs rose by 286,000 and temporary roles by 79,000, while day labor fell by 55,000. The economically inactive population — those outside the labor force by choice or due to discouragement — reached 16.12 million, up 38,000 from a year earlier. While inactivity due to childcare or old age declined, the number of people “idled” without a clear reason for not working — typically those who have given up looking — jumped 5.5 percent, or 135,000. People in their 30s saw the steepest increase among core working-age groups, up 7.7 percent, or 13,000, to 334,000 — the highest level on record. Idling was even more pronounced among those in their 20s, totaling 402,000, up 15,600 from a year earlier. The number of people who have given up job hunting despite wanting employment rose to 366,000, up 21,000. Active job seekers fell sharply by 38,000, or 6 percent, to 598,000. 2025-11-12 12:10:58

Leading chip equipment maker ASML sets up major campus in South Korea SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - ASML, the Dutch maker of the world’s most advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, has completed construction of a new campus in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. The complex is designed to support South Korea’s leading chipmakers, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, while strengthening local technical capabilities and supply chain stability. The new site will serve as ASML’s key Asian hub, housing a remanufacturing center for deep ultraviolet (DUV) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment as well as a training facility for advanced technology transfer, according to ASML. The Dutch firm holds a near monopoly in the production of EUV lithography machines, indispensable tools for fabricating the most advanced semiconductors. Each unit, costing more than $150 million, is supplied to a select group of companies, including Samsung, SK hynix, and Taiwan’s TSMC. Officials from the South Korean government said it is expected to help localize technology expertise and promote a stronger ecosystem for materials, parts, and equipment suppliers. ASML said it plans to expand collaboration with Korean chipmakers on process development and to build closer partnerships with domestic suppliers to establish a “symbiotic ecosystem” within the country’s semiconductor value chain. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-12 11:23:38

Seoul City secures another investment from French quantum firm SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - Seoul City is deepening its ambitions to become a global hub for quantum technology, securing a $57 million investment from Quandela, a French company specializing in photonic quantum computing. The deal, signed Wednesday at Seoul City Hall, marks the city’s second major quantum-related investment agreement in recent months, following a similar deal with Pasqal, also from France. Founded in 2017 near Paris, Quandela has emerged as one of Europe’s leading quantum computing startups. The company develops photon-based quantum computers and currently employs about 150 researchers and engineers worldwide. It has delivered four quantum systems to the EuroHPC initiative, a major European Union program advancing high-performance computing. Quandela’s Seoul branch will focus on research and development, helping the South Korean capital build its credentials in a field expected to transform industries from logistics to pharmaceuticals. The signing ceremony was attended by Seoul Deputy Mayor Kim Tae-kyun, Quandela’s chief executive Niccolo Somaschi, French Ambassador Philippe Bertoux, and Kim Yoo-seok, head of Quandela Korea. City officials said the investment aligns with the city’s broader plan to foster a quantum industry ecosystem in Seoul. The initiative includes establishing a joint R&D network, supporting companies specializing in quantum materials and components, and training a new generation of researchers. Future projects include the creation of the Seoul Quantum Campus and a Quantum Technology Convergence Support Center in Hongneung by 2027, followed by the Seoul Quantum Hub in 2030. The city also plans to work with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to attract additional foreign investment and offer incentives for global tech firms. “Seoul’s investment in Quandela is a strategic choice, given our city’s strengths in talent, infrastructure, and innovation,” Deputy Mayor Kim said in a statement. “We will continue to support global companies that invest in Seoul as we grow our quantum ecosystem.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-12 11:00:21

Ex-spy chief arrested over alleged involvement in martial law debacle SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - Cho Tae-yong, a former head of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS), was arrested on charges of allegedly being involved in disgraced ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle last year. The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for him, citing concerns he could destroy or tamper with evidence. Cho is accused of failing to notify the National Assembly of Yoon's plan to declare martial law, despite being aware of it. Cho faces perjury charges for testifying to the National Assembly and Constitutional Court that he had not seen related documents before the Dec. 3 debacle. But CCTV footage from an emergency meeting with key officials at the presidential office that day showed him pocketing what appeared to be documents related to the debacle. Earlier arrest warrants for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae were denied, but Cho's arrest is expected to give independent investigators probing Yoon's case new momentum. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-12 10:58:34

POSCO ramps up lithium investments as EV battery race heats up SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - South Korea's POSCO Holdings is expanding its global footprint in lithium, the critical ingredient for electric vehicle batteries, with new investments worth 1.1 trillion won, or about $800 million, in Australia and Argentina. The move is part of the steel and battery materials company’s drive to secure key resources as global competition for battery metals intensifies. The company said Wednesday that it will acquire a 30 percent stake in a new holding company created by Australia’s Mineral Resources for $765 million, or roughly 1 trillion won. The deal gives POSCO access to 270,000 tons of lithium concentrate a year from the Wodgina and Mt. Marion mines in Western Australia — enough to produce 37,000 tons of lithium hydroxide, sufficient for about 860,000 electric vehicles. Beyond securing supply, the investment allows POSCO to take part in mine management and receive dividends, with an eye toward eventually expanding into refining lithium concentrate as global demand rises. In a separate move, POSCO said it will invest $65 million to acquire full ownership of the Argentine subsidiary of Lithium South, a Canadian resource developer that holds mining rights in the Hombre Muerto salt flat, one of the world’s richest lithium brine deposits. The Argentine acquisition, announced on Nov. 5, will give POSCO additional land and resources in the region, where it already operates lithium extraction projects. The company expects the deal to create operational synergies by leveraging its existing infrastructure and expertise in the area. “Securing raw material competitiveness is crucial to becoming the world’s leading lithium company,” POSCO Group Chairman Jang In-hwa said in a press release. “We will continue to diversify our global lithium supply chain through active investment.” POSCO’s latest push comes as demand for battery materials surges amid the accelerating shift to electric vehicles. Major producers from China to the United States are racing to lock in access to lithium deposits, a strategic resource expected to face supply constraints over the next decade. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-12 09:56:04

Two more bodies recovered at Ulsan power plant SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - Two more bodies were recovered overnight from the rubble of a thermal power plant in the southeastern city of Ulsan, bringing the death toll to five after a large structure collapsed last week. According to rescue workers, one victim was found several hours after two large boiler towers at the state-run utility company Korea East-West Power were blown up the previous day to facilitate search operations for workers trapped beneath the debris. Another body was retrieved early Wednesday morning. The aging towers had hampered search operations amid concerns they might also collapse. Of the nine workers at the site when a 60-meter boiler tower suddenly fell during demolition work last Thursday, two were immediately rescued, five are now dead, and two remain missing. 2025-11-12 09:51:04

LG Energy Solution moves into aerospace battery market with US partner SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - LG Energy Solution, one of the world’s leading electric-vehicle battery makers, is pushing into the aerospace sector through a new partnership with an American startup specializing in next-generation energy storage. The South Korean company said Wednesday that it has entered into a strategic collaboration with South 8 Technologies, a San Diego-based firm known for developing liquefied gas electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries. The technology, which maintains performance in temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius, was named one of Time magazine’s top 200 inventions of 2024. The partnership will focus on developing advanced battery cells capable of operating in the extreme conditions of aerospace applications, LG Energy Solution said. The effort aligns with initiatives by NASA and KULR Technology Group to design low-temperature battery systems for future space missions. KULR, supported by the Texas Space Commission, is working on similar lithium-ion solutions for next-generation exploration programs. LG Energy Solution and South 8 plan to jointly design and produce prototype cells using specialized materials and configurations optimized for use in aerospace environments. The two companies first connected through LG’s Startup Challenge Program in 2019 and signed a joint development agreement in 2024. The latest deal expands their collaboration as LG seeks to diversify beyond its core automotive and energy storage markets. “The liquefied gas electrolyte technology is expected to fundamentally resolve battery performance issues in extreme cold,” said Jay Kim, LG Energy Solution’s chief technology officer. “We aim to create new customer value across multiple industries, including aerospace exploration.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-12 09:38:17

K Bank readies third and possibly final KOSPI bid, betting on sustained market rally SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - K Bank may become the first company to debut on the KOSPI in 2026 as the country’s pioneering internet-only bank files its third — and likely final — preliminary prospectus, hoping the market’s bullish momentum lasts another two to three months. According to the filing, K Bank plans to offer 60 million shares out of its 405.7 million total. The Korea Exchange’s review normally takes two to three months, putting an early-2026 listing within reach if approval is granted. NH Investment & Securities and Samsung Securities are joint lead managers. The clock is ticking. Under agreements with its financial investors (FIs), K Bank must go public by July 2026. Failure to do so would allow investors to exercise tag-along or put options by October next year, making this effectively its last window to complete the deal. K Bank previously cleared the preliminary review in 2022 but canceled its offering in the face of rapidly rising interest rates and a frozen IPO market. A second attempt in late 2023 was also withdrawn after weak demand during roadshows. The bank has since trimmed its target valuation to 5.3 trillion won ($3.6 billion) from roughly 7 trillion won. Whether the current year-end rally will be enough to support a newcomer remains uncertain. The bank’s repeated last-minute withdrawals have already dented its credibility among investors. Another lingering risk is its deep dependence on deposits sourced from customers of Upbit, the country’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. The two companies recently renewed their real-name account partnership for one more year, through October 2026, after the contract expired last month. The Upbit-linked deposits have been a major growth driver, as K Bank supplies verified accounts to crypto traders. But renewal uncertainty hangs over the bank each time the contract comes due. Meanwhile, the bank’s early-mover advantage has largely faded as traditional lenders now operate fully competitive mobile platforms. Market sentiment toward digital-only banks has also cooled. KakaoBank shares have dropped 44.5 percent from their June 24 peak of 38,750 won to 21,500 won ($14.7) as of Tuesday. Last week, Hana Securities cut its price target for KakaoBank to 32,000 won from 36,000 won, pointing to weaker-than-expected third-quarter earnings and slowing fee income. KakaoBank’s net profit fell 10.3 percent on-year to 111.4 billion won. Hana Securities analyst Choi Jung-wook said sluggish loan growth, a broader decline in net interest margin and disappointing non-interest income weighed on performance, while operating expenses climbed with new service promotions and AI-related hiring. “Despite steady product launches such as its MMF Box and Kids Savings offerings, monetization remains slower than expected,” Choi wrote. As it weighs its KOSPI push, K Bank has also been expanding its offline footprint. Starting in December, Seoul Metro’s Euljiro 4-ga Station — near the bank’s headquarters — will adopt “K Bank Station” as a secondary name under a paid naming-rights deal effective through December 2028. 2025-11-11 17:39:05

AI detectors questioned for efficacy while Korean universities wrestle with AI use SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - South Korean universities and companies are increasingly adopting detecting tools to identify AI cheats to prevent foul plays in admissions and evaluations, especially after the large-scale AI-employed test cheating that recently disgraced one of the country’s top elite universities — but many find the services largely lacking. Tools are used randomly and trusted blindly, while most universities have yet to reach any consensus on AI usage for class materials and evaluations. For job seekers, the consequences can be personal and severe. Kim Ye-ji (28), a job applicant in Seoul, said she feared being unfairly screened out after spending nights perfecting her self-introduction essay. “I can’t imagine how frustrating it would be if the AI detector labeled my own writing as machine-written,” she said. “It’s already hard enough to get a few big-company interview chances — losing one that way would feel devastating.” According to a survey by Incruit, 27.5 percent of companies already screen for AI-assisted writing in self-introduction letters, though few verify detection results before disqualifying applicants. Similar tools are now used across college assignments and corporate reports. At the same time, AI-driven cheating is spreading faster than detection technology can keep up. The number of remote and large-scale lectures in major universities has surged since the pandemic, creating blind spots in monitoring. At Yonsei University, the number of large classes with more than 200 students rose from 75 in 2020 to 104 last year, while online courses jumped from 34 in 2023 to 321 this semester, according to public education data. Professors say the rapid rise in online lectures and corporate remote interviews has created an environment ripe for AI misuse — but current detection tools remain inconsistent and poorly integrated into learning systems. “AI detectors can often identify which model — whether GPT, Gemini or Claude — generated the text, since each has distinct patterns,” said Billy Choi, professor at Korea University’s AI Research Institute. “But once a human edits the content, those patterns collapse, and that’s when detection errors occur.” He added that improving such tools is “technically simple but financially demanding,” requiring additional training data and costly fine-tuning by developers. At universities, the debate is shifting from “whether to use AI” to “how to use it meaningfully.” “AI tools are not impossible to ban completely,” said Jin Lee, professor of cultural content studies at Hanyang University. “Instead of policing students for using AI, professors need to rethink how assignments are designed — focusing on how meaning is created through AI use, not just whether it was used.” Lee added that the ethical burden of detecting AI use can no longer fall solely on students. “We can’t 100 percent verify if something was written by AI, and questioning students based on suspicion alone is meaningless,” she said. “The conversation should move toward helping students use AI responsibly while developing their own voices.” Universities such as Yonsei and Korea University have issued internal guidelines urging faculty not to grade students solely based on detector results. Others are exploring hybrid evaluation systems — combining oral defenses, peer review, and in-class writing — to balance technology with fairness. Still, pressure to detect AI-generated content continues to mount as academic-integrity concerns rise worldwide. In the United States and Europe, several institutions have already limited use of detection tools such as ZeroGPT and Turnitin due to accuracy concerns. 2025-11-11 17:35:38