Korea's record Q3 exports expose over-reliance on chip exports SEOUL, November 10 (AJP) -South Korea’s exports hit an all-time high in the third quarter, while trade reliance on the country’s top 10 exporters also reached a record level, underscoring the economy’s growing exposure to the volatile semiconductor sector as chips accounted for one quarter of outbound shipments, government data showed Monday. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics, exports totaled $185 billion in the July–September period, up 6.5 percent from a year earlier and accelerating from the 2.1 percent gain in the second quarter. The mining and manufacturing sector posted exports of $159.5 billion, an 8 percent increase, largely driven by a 26.6 percent surge in semiconductor exports to $46.4 billion. Chips accounted for 25.1 percent of total shipments, up from 21.1 percent a year ago. Reliance on major exporters also deepened. The top 10 exporters shipped $74 billion worth of goods, representing 40 percent of total trade. SK hynix, enjoying a streak of strong earnings on the back of high-bandwidth and server memory demand for AI and data-center chips, saw its share of total exports jump to 8.4 percent from 6 percent a year earlier. Large companies reported record exports of $122.3 billion, up 5.1 percent. Smaller players also made strides on the external front. Mid-sized firms also reached a fresh high with a 7 percent rise to $32.3 billion. Exports by small firms climbed 11.9 percent to $29.8 billion, the fourth-largest quarterly performance on record. Imports rose 1.5 percent to $162.4 billion in the third quarter. Imports by large firms slipped 0.9 percent to $94.9 billion, while mid-sized and small firms saw increases of 4.6 percent and 8.5 percent to $28.4 billion and $37.4 billion, respectively. Petrochemical exports and imports weakened as the sector continued to struggle against intensifying competition from Chinese rivals. Exports to the United States fell 3.9 percent in the third quarter, while imports from the U.S. were down 6.7 percent amid delays in settling a bilateral trade agreement. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-10 14:02:43

KOSPI bounces back above 4,000 to lead Asian markets early Monday SEOUL, November 10 (AJP) - South Korea’s stock market rebounded sharply on Monday as foreign investors returned on signs of a breakthrough in the U.S. government shutdown. KOSPI jumped 2.8 percent, reclaiming the 4,000 mark, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ edged up a mere 0.5 percent to hover below 900. The early rally was driven by strong buying from foreign and institutional investors. Foreigners — who dumped more than 7 trillion won ($4.8 billion) worth of Korean shares last week — turned net buyers of 120.4 billion won in the main market. Institutions also net-purchased 216.9 billion won. Among blue chips, Samsung Electronics rose 1.6 percent to 99,500 won ($68), while SK hynix climbed 4.1 percent to 603,500 won. Financial stocks continued their strong run. KB Financial gained 4.4 percent to 129,100 won, BNK Financial Group added 3.5 percent to 15,210 won, Shinhan Financial Group rose 2.7 percent to 79,500 won, and iM Financial Group advanced 4.7 percent to 14,160 won. According to Hana Securities, bank stocks climbed 5 percent last week, sharply outperforming the KOSPI’s return of –3.7 percent. The sector’s momentum has been fueled by expectations of dividend tax cuts and rising government bond yields. The government and the ruling Democratic Party are reportedly fast-tracking a plan to lower the top rate on separately taxed dividend income from 35 percent to 25 percent, a move analysts say could shift investment away from real estate and toward dividend-paying equities. Investor sentiment also improved on optimism that the U.S. federal government shutdown may soon be resolved. On Friday, Wall Street ended mixed, with the Dow up 0.2 percent, the S&P 500 up 0.1 percent, and the Nasdaq down 0.2 percent. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.9 percent to 50,716.35. Fast Retailing, operator of Uniqlo, rose 0.7 percent to 57,630 yen ($375), while SoftBank advanced 2 percent to 22,130 yen. Auto stocks retreated, with Toyota down 0.8 percent to 3,094 yen and Honda sliding 4.8 percent to 1,509 yen. China’s Shanghai Composite edged up 0.2 percent to 4,005.57, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.6 percent to 26,395.23. 2025-11-10 11:35:52

Korean won recovers from 7-mo lows amid KOSPI rebound SEOUL, November 10 (AJP) - The U.S. dollar has retreated below 1,460 won as the Korean currency benefited from the global softening in the greenback and renewed foreign stock buying. The dollar fell 6.70 won to 1,453.30 in Seoul Monday morning after shooting up to 1,461.5 last Friday - the highest since 1,472 on April 9 amid presidential impeachment and U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff barrage. Foreign investors sold 7.26 trillion won ($5.4 billion) in Korean stocks over the five sessions last week - the largest weekly record. The heavy selling sent the won down 2 percent - the steepest among core currencies - with selling primarily targeting the two chip majors for their association with questions about bubbles around AI boom. The won has been one of the weakest even as the KOSPI has been performing strongest among key market and country has been keeping up record trade surplus thanks to red-hot chip exports - further exposing the Korean economy's vulnerabilities from over-dependence on chipmaking. The unfazed demand for the U.S. dollar also points to won's structural fragility. From January to September, South Koreans bought $99.85 billion overseas securities - mostly on the Wall Street -, more than tripling the $29.65 billion foreign purchase of Korean securities during the period. Companies have been holding export earnings in greenback amid continued volatility in external trade environment and pressure over Korea's $20 billion annual commitment of investment in the U.S. under a bilateral trade deal. Any foreseeable upside in the Korean won is unlikely, analysts agree. "With expectations of U.S. rate cuts diminishing and strong -dollar environment firmly in place on top of heavy foreign stock sales, the won faces persistent downward pressure," said Moon Da-un, a researcher at Korea Investment & Securities. Lee Jin-kyung, an economist at Shinhan Investment Corp., forecast the dollar-won exchange rate to go as high as 1,500 won in the first half of next year, given "structurally overwhelming outflows versus dollar inflows." * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-10 11:35:24

KAIST–Johns Hopkins team uncovers how cancer cells choose their own moving path SEOUL, November 10 (AJP) - KAIST researchers, working with Johns Hopkins University, have discovered how cells determine their direction of movement without any external signals, a finding that reveals the internal logic of cancer metastasis, immune responses, and tissue development. The study, led by Professor Won Do Heo from the KAIST Department of Biological Sciences and Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho from the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, together with Professor Gabsang Lee of Johns Hopkins University, identified an intrinsic "self-driving mechanism" that enables cells to decide which way to move. The results were published in Nature Communications on October 31. To achieve this, the team developed a new imaging method called INSPECT (INtracellular Separation of Protein Engineered Condensation Technique) — a system that visualizes protein interactions inside living cells. Using INSPECT, they uncovered how specific combinations of signaling proteins dictate whether a cell moves straight ahead or turns in a new direction. Their work focused on Rho GTPases — the Rac1, Cdc42, and RhoA proteins that control cell polarity and motility. The researchers found that these proteins do far more than divide a cell into front and rear sections. Instead, they form dynamic partnerships that act like a built-in navigation system. For instance, the Cdc42–FMNL complex drives linear motion, while the Rac1–ROCK pairing governs turning behavior. INSPECT recreates a process known as phase separation, allowing scientists to see how proteins cluster and interact. By tagging proteins with ferritin and fluorescent DsRed, the team visualized condensate droplets forming as proteins bound to one another. Among 285 tested pairs, 139 were confirmed to interact in living cells. When the team slightly altered one amino acid in Rac1 — preventing it from binding properly to its "steering handle" protein ROCK — cells lost their ability to turn and moved only in straight lines. Normal cells, by contrast, formed curved "arc stress fibers" that allowed them to pivot sharply when changing direction. Additional experiments showed that while normal cells adjusted their speed in response to environmental cues, the modified Rac1F37W cells moved at a constant rate regardless of surroundings. This demonstrated that the Rac–ROCK axis finely tunes how cells sense and adapt to external environments. Professor Heo said, "Our findings show that cell movement is not random but governed by an intrinsic program coordinated by Rho signaling proteins and their partners. INSPECT provides a powerful new tool for visualizing protein interactions in real time and will accelerate research on cancer metastasis, neural migration, and immune cell movement." The paper's authors include Heeyoung Lee, Sangkyu Lee, Yeji Seo, Dongsan Kim, Yohan Oh, Juae Jin, Bobae Hyeon, Younghyun Han, Hyunjun Kim, Yong Jin Lee, Ho Min Kim, Gabsang Lee, Kwang-Hyun Cho, and Won Do Heo. 2025-11-10 11:21:13

South Korean envoy to attend Angola's 50th independence anniversary SEOUL, November 10 (AJP) - Former Ambassador Kim Dong-chan is visiting Angola this week as a special envoy to mark the central African country's 50th anniversary of independence. According to the Foreign Ministry, Kim is scheduled to attend the celebrations hosted by President João Lourenço and deliver a letter from South Korea's Foreign Minister. The ministry said that economic cooperation with Africa's second-largest oil producer, which is rich in natural resources, is strengthening, especially backed by recent contracts won by South Korean companies to build large oil tankers there. Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975, after nearly 500 years of colonial rule. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-10 11:05:29

T1 wins historic third consecutive LoL World Championship SEOUL, November 10 (AJP) - South Korea's esports team T1 won this year's League of Legends (LoL) World Championship in Chengdu, China on Sunday, securing its third consecutive victory and sixth overall. By defeating its perennial rival KT Rolster 3-2, the team, led by iconic player and captain Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as Faker, solidified its dominance in the sport. Faker, who first won the championship at age of 17 in 2013, continues to be a pivotal figure for the team. Sponsor SK Telecom's consistent support has been crucial to T1's continuous success, with the company backing the team since its inception. In 2019, SK Telecom began co-managing T1 with American media giant Comcast, leading to significant growth in sponsorships and merchandise sales. In July, T1 renewed Faker's contract for four more years. In July, T1 also secured a major three-year sponsorship deal with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Global, alongside partnerships and endorsements with Mercedes-Benz, Red Bull, Samsung Odyssey and Spotify. Capitalizing on its growing fanbase and popularity, T1 is actively expanding into new business ventures, recently hosting large-scale events and fan meets in Incheon and Busan. T1 is expected to achieve its first-ever operating profit this year, after a record revenue of 51 billion won last year, up 47 percent from the previous year, with projected growth of over 50 percent this year. SK Chairman Chey Tae-won praised the team, saying, "Their exceptional skill, teamwork, and perseverance have inspired fans worldwide, demonstrating their ability to overcome challenges." * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-10 10:41:51

North Korean hackers spread malware through stolen smartphone accounts, report reveals SEOUL, November 10 (AJP) - North Korean hackers have remotely inflicted smartphones and PCs with malware and bogus apps to steal sensitive data, according to a report released on Monday by Genians, a South Korean cybersecurity company. According to the report, one case involved a hacker who reset a South Korean psychologist's Android-based smartphone and used a stolen KakaoTalk account to spread malware disguised as a "stress relief program" to the victim's contacts in early September. Another similar attack targeted a North Korean human rights activist, affecting dozens of the activist's contacts on Sept. 15. The attackers tricked them into installing malicious software by posing as trusted acquaintances. They also infiltrated devices, used Google location services to track when victims were away from home or work, and then remotely reset the devices. "The use of various tactics to delete data and carry out other attacks appears unprecedented," the report said, highlighting North Korea's increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-10 10:05:46

South Korea's SK On hosts music festival for disabled in Hungary SEOUL, November 09 (AJP) - South Korean battery maker SK On said Sunday it hosted a music festival for people with developmental disabilities at the Aranytiz Cultural Center in Budapest, Hungary, on Nov. 8. This event was co-organized by the Hungarian Association for Music for the Disabled and the Korean Cultural Center in Hungary. The association helped design the program, while the cultural center worked to engage local audiences through its networks and events. Three ensembles performed at the concert: Hungary’s Parapillék and Paraphonia, and Korea’s Vivace Ensemble. Parapillek, an orchestra founded in 2023 with support from SK Innovation and SK On, features musicians with developmental disabilities. Paraphonia, a group with a two-decade history, is recognized for its accomplished performances. The Vivace Ensemble closed the evening with a rendition of Arirang that drew prolonged applause, the company said. The event drew about 200 attendees, including representatives from SK On’s European operations, the Hungarian Ministry of Interior, the Hungarian Association for Music for the Disabled, and the Korean Embassy in Hungary, among others. “It was a meaningful event that united us through music beyond borders and languages,” said Kim Se-jin, head of SK On’s European production unit. “We will continue efforts to bring Korea and Hungary closer, extending our connection beyond economic ties.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-09 16:34:31

Proposal for 'dawn delivery' ban stokes controversy in South Korea SEOUL, November 09 (AJP) - A heated controversy has erupted in South Korea over a proposal by some unionized delivery workers to ban "dawn delivery" services conducted between midnight and 5 a.m. The dawn delivery market has boomed, growing from 400 billion won in 2015 to 11.8 trillion won ($8.9 billion) last year, predominantly serving fresh foods and perishable goods. This rapid growth is driven not only by small business owners who rely on the service to receive ingredients for their daily operations, but also by working couples with little time to shop and households with young children, for whom the overnight convenience is essential. The debate on the dawn delivery pits concerns over workers' health and safety against the economic impact on delivery drivers, e-commerce platforms, and small businesses. The proposal was spurred by a recent spate of overwork-related deaths among night-shift delivery workers. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) argues that the convenience of early morning delivery comes at a deadly cost. "The convenience of dawn delivery is maintained at the cost of workers' sleep, health, and lives," the KCTU said, emphasizing the health risks of working against the natural circadian rhythm. They pointed out that the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies night work as a potential cause of cancer for humans, demanding restrictions as a minimum measure to protect workers' lives. The proposal has met strong opposition from rival unions, e-commerce platforms, and the small business sector, who argue that the ban threatens economic stability. The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) rejected a total ban, stating, "Realistically, there are workers who must work to earn a living, and there are also consumer segments for whom dawn delivery is essential." The union representing drivers for Coupang, the country's leading e-commerce platform, also criticized the move, noting that over 40 percent of their members are night-shift drivers and that attempts to curb their work threaten their job security. Many drivers online echoed this sentiment, stressing that dawn shifts are often a voluntary choice providing higher pay, less traffic congestion, or essential flexibility for those working a second job. The ban is also vehemently opposed by the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (KFSB). They called it "a measure that threatens the survival of small business owners relying on online platforms for sales amid a sluggish domestic economy." "Banning dawn deliveries is an attempt to collapse the small business ecosystem," the KFSB concluded. 2025-11-09 16:06:49

Global game developers will converge on Busan this week for G-Star festival SEOUL, November 09 (AJP) - South Korea’s largest gaming convention, G-Star 2025, is set to open on Nov. 13 at the BEXCO convention center in Busan, promising its most expansive lineup yet. This year’s event will host 1,273 companies from 44 countries, filling 3,269 booths under the theme “Expand Your Horizons.” Organizers say the annual showcase has evolved into a global cultural festival that reflects the expanding scope of the gaming industry — from blockbuster franchises to independent innovation. Among the most anticipated appearances is Blizzard Entertainment’s return after 12 years, featuring an Overwatch 2 experience zone and participation in the G-Star Cup e-sports tournament. Other global developers, including Sega, Atlus, Bandai Namco, and Warhorse Studios, will also take part, reaffirming G-Star’s status as Asia’s leading hub for the international gaming market. NCSoft, serving as the main sponsor for the first time, will anchor the exhibition with a sprawling 300-booth pavilion showcasing two new titles: the Aion 2 and the sci-fi shooter Cinder City. Both are seen as part of the company’s strategy to move beyond its long-running Lineage franchise. Netmarble will unveil four new games, including the Seven Deadly Sins: Origin, as part of a broader push to expand its platform diversity and reach global audiences. Krafton, meanwhile, plans to debut Palworld Mobile, based on its popular intellectual property. Beyond the game floor, G-Star 2025 will broaden its focus through G-CON, a conference exploring the intersection of gaming, storytelling, and technology. Featured speakers include film director Byun Sung-hyun and several AI researchers discussing narrative design and creative innovation. The Indie Showcase will highlight projects from 80 independent developers, offering a platform for experimental ideas and emerging voices shaping the future of gaming. Festivities will begin a day earlier, on Nov. 12, with the 2025 Korea Game Awards. Nominees include Legend of Ymir from Wemade and Mabinogi Mobile from Nexon. To accommodate the expected crowds, organizers will implement a 100 percent pre-booking system and designate a car-free zone near BEXCO to ensure safety. * This article, published by Economic Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-09 14:09:30