Foreign investors flee Seoul as KRW weakness persists SEOUL, Mar. 12 (AJP) — Foreign investors pivoted to a net sell-off in South Korean financial markets between February and March, marking the first net outflow in six months. The South Korean won continued its steady decline, extending a period of weakness that began last month. The value of the won has depreciated by 2 percent since February, falling from a January average of 1,439.5 per dollar to 1,469.2 as of March 10 according to a Bank of Korea (BOK) release on Thursday, marking the second consecutive month of decline, following a 1.4 percent weakening in January. While the won’s fall last month occurred even as the U.S. Dollar Index softened, the current depreciation has been exacerbated by a 1.9 percent surge in the dollar index, fueled by escalating conflict in the Middle East. Among emerging market currencies, the won’s decline was surpassed only by the Russian ruble, which fell 3.7 percent. In stark contrast, the Brazilian real emerged as the top performer, appreciating by 1.9 percent this month following a 5.7 percent surge last month, bolstered by the Brazilian central bank’s fiscal tightening and interest rate hikes. While advanced currencies also weakened—with the euro falling 2 percent, the yen 2.1 percent, and the pound 1.9 percent—the underlying drivers differed significantly from the won. The weakness in these currencies was largely driven by dovish expectations: the yen softened following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s nomination of a dovish policy board member, while the euro fell as CPI dipped below the 2 percent target. The won, however, continued to slide despite the BOK ruling out the possibility of rate cuts. Volatility is also on the rise. The won’s daily fluctuation range expanded from 0.36 percent in December to 0.45 percent in January, reaching 0.58 percent in February. Foreign portfolio investment saw a net outflow of $7.76 billion, the first shift to negative territory since August. This represents the second-largest monthly net outflow on record, eclipsed only by the $8.97 billion flight during the July 2008 financial crisis. Equity markets bore the brunt of the exodus, with $13.5 billion in foreign capital exiting the KOSPI. This surpassed the previous record of $11.04 billion set during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, marking the largest monthly equity outflow in South Korean history. Conversely, the bond market saw a net inflow of $5.74 billion, as investors engaged in bargain hunting amid falling Korean bond prices. This marks the fourth consecutive month of net inflows into fixed income since October. External borrowing conditions remain relatively stable. The spread on short-term external borrowing held steady at 11 basis points, while the CDS premium stood at 22 basis points, marginally up from 21 basis points last month. However, mid-to-long-term external borrowing spreads edged up from 42 basis points to 46 basis points, reflecting deteriorating external conditions, including the Middle East conflict and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. 2026-03-12 13:36:07

Internet Newspaper Ethics Committee Completes First 2026 Training for New Reporters The Internet Newspaper Ethics Committee, chaired by Lee Jae-jin and known as the “Inshin Yunwi,” said it held the first session of its “2026 Basic Training for New Internet Newspaper Reporters” over two days, from the 10th to the 11th, at the Korea Press Foundation’s Media Education Center. The program was attended by more than 20 new reporters from outlets that have pledged to take part in the committee’s voluntary self-review system. The committee said the training was designed to help new reporters build core reporting and writing skills while strengthening ethics awareness and digital capabilities needed in a changing news environment. The course was jointly operated with the Korea Press Foundation. The curriculum focused on practical skills, including straight-news writing theory and exercises, Korean spelling and dictionary use, suicide coverage and reporting ethics, internet media ethics and self-review cases, and the use of generative AI for reporting. Park Young-rye, head of the committee’s article review office, led a lecture on internet media ethics and self-review using real review cases. Song Sang-geun, a professor with a special appointment at Ewha Womans University’s Journalism Education Institute, taught writing theory and hands-on practice. Training programs run in cooperation with the National Institute of the Korean Language and the Korea Suicide Prevention Center, along with instruction on using generative AI, were also included. Participants were also required to complete the Korea Press Foundation Media Academy’s online course, “Practical Guidelines for Disaster Reporting,” before the end of the program, the committee said, making the training a comprehensive course that also covers disaster-reporting ethics. An Inshin Yunwi official said the program was created to help new reporters systematically learn the basic qualifications of journalists and strengthen practical reporting skills. The official said the committee hopes the training will help participants grow into journalists trusted in the field and said it will continue regular education programs to promote a responsible media environment. The committee said it plans to run the basic training course three times this year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 11:21:09

Asian stocks edge lower on oil supply fears, Hormuz disruption concerns SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) — Asian stock markets traded mostly lower Thursday as investors weighed volatile oil prices and the risk of prolonged shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz despite a coordinated release of strategic crude reserves by major consuming nations. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said Wednesday that its 32 member countries agreed to release 400 million barrels of strategic oil reserves, the largest coordinated drawdown in the agency’s history, to stabilize global energy markets rattled by the war between the United States and Iran. The planned release is more than double the 182.7 million barrels released in two rounds after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. South Korea and Japan are also expected to contribute shares from their emergency stockpiles. Still, investor sentiment remained fragile as Iranian attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz and continued threats to shipping routes raised fears of supply disruptions along one of the world’s most critical oil corridors. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 fell 1.06 percent to 54,444.13 in morning trading. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slipped 0.39 percent to 25,798.95, while China’s Shanghai Composite Index edged down 0.17 percent to 4,126.61. Taiwan’s TAIEX declined 0.47 percent to 33,952.85. Overnight on Wall Street, semiconductor shares rose after strong earnings from Oracle lifted technology sentiment. Nvidia gained 0.66 percent and Micron Technology advanced 3.86 percent, pushing the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index up 0.63 percent. South Korean chip stocks, however, traded lower as investors remained cautious. Samsung Electronics fell 1.05 percent to 188,000 won, while SK hynix slipped 0.73 percent to 948,000 won. South Korea’s main bourses were volatile ahead of the quarterly “quadruple witching” day, when futures and options contracts on stocks and indexes expire simultaneously, often triggering sharp swings. “Concerns over foreign investor flows during derivatives expiry and continued news surrounding the Strait of Hormuz could limit the market’s upside,” said Han Ji-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities, noting that sector-specific divergence is likely in the near term. As of 10:51 a.m., the benchmark KOSPI was down 0.40 percent at 5,587.45, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ rose 0.68 percent to 1,144.56. Shares were mixed across sectors. Battery maker LG Energy Solution edged up 0.14 percent to 370,000 won, while biotech stocks weakened. Samsung Biologics fell 2.35 percent to 1,618,000 won, and Celltrion declined 1.44 percent to 206,000 won. Defense-related shares gained amid heightened geopolitical tensions. Hanwha Aerospace rose 2.55 percent to 1,446,000 won, while Hanwha Ocean jumped 3.14 percent to 137,800 won. Industrial stocks also advanced, with Doosan Enerbility climbing 2.57 percent to 103,600 won and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries rising 2.03 percent to 602,000 won. Automakers traded mixed. Hyundai Motor slipped 1.32 percent to 523,000 won, while Kia gained 1.30 percent to 164,100 won and Hyundai Mobis fell 2.01 percent to 414,500 won. Financial shares also showed mixed performance. KB Financial dropped 1.32 percent to 149,300 won, while Shinhan Financial rose 0.55 percent to 91,600 won. Among technology stocks, Naver gained 0.45 percent to 223,000 won, while SK Square declined 1.06 percent to 559,000 won. The Korean won weakened against the U.S. dollar, with the greenback rising to 1,477.30 won from the previous session’s 1,466.2 won. 2026-03-12 11:13:10

LS Cable & System Weighs Building Rare-Earth Permanent Magnet Plant in the U.S. LS Cable & System said it is reviewing plans to build a rare-earth permanent magnet plant in the United States and is moving the project forward in stages. The company said Thursday it has selected Chesapeake, Virginia, as a candidate site for new investment and is conducting a feasibility review while holding cooperation talks with the state of Virginia. The site is expected to be near LS Cable & System’s undersea cable plant now under construction, according to the company. Rare-earth permanent magnets are a key material used across advanced industries, including electric vehicles, wind turbines, robots, fighter jets and urban air mobility. About 85% of global output is concentrated in China, and only a handful of companies produce them in the United States, keeping calls alive to diversify supply chains. LS Cable & System said it is also seeking to build a value chain for the business, from securing raw materials to metalmaking and magnet production. Its affiliate LS Eco Energy decided on Dec. 17 to pursue a rare-earth metal business in Vietnam and finalized an investment plan worth about 28.5 billion won. LS Eco Energy plans to install rare-earth metalmaking equipment at its Ho Chi Minh City production unit, LSCV, and refine rare-earth oxides supplied by global mining companies to produce rare-earth metals. Rare-earth metals are a core input for permanent magnets used in drive motors for robots, wind turbines and electric vehicles. The metalmaking process is technically demanding, and commercial production outside China is limited to a few countries, including Japan and the United States. If carried out, the companies expect to form a value chain linking rare-earth oxide procurement from global miners, rare-earth metal production in Vietnam by LS Eco Energy, and permanent magnet production in the United States by LS Cable & System. LS Cable & System said it is also discussing cooperation with global mining companies on rare-earth supply. An LS Cable & System official said that if the rare-earth magnet business becomes a reality, it would create a new growth engine by expanding beyond cables into strategic materials and help strengthen competitiveness in the global mobility supply chain. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 11:06:19

South Korea completes test of first homegrown air-launched anti-tank missile SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - South Korea has successfully completed the test of its first homegrown air-launched anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality said on Thursday. The Cheongeom, which literally means "heavenly sword" in Korean and is also called TAipers, was developed by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) in 2022 and manufactured by Hanwha Aerospace. Mounted on a light armed helicopter, it is designed to precisely strike targets on the ground. The missile passed a live-fire test earlier this week in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, demonstrating its performance and reliability by striking targets accurately. The test was conducted last Tuesday by experts from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), and Hanwha Aerospace. "The latest test approved the missile's required performance and quality, clearing the way for full-scale mass-production," said Shin Sang-beom, the agency's head. "We will keep striving to enhance the quality and reliability of homegrown weapons to boost their export competitiveness," he added. 2026-03-12 11:04:59

Shopping arcade in Seoul finds new life as elderly hangout SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - A shopping arcade in central Seoul has found an unlikely second life as a favorite hangout for elderly people with little money. On the first floor of Nakwon Arcade in Jongno, a boisterous crowd of seniors fills the tables daily, some seated, others standing nearby, their laughter and chatter echoing all the way to the entrance. This is where the neighborhood’s best janggi (or Korean chess) players gather to compete. With recreational activities banned in nearby Tapgol Park, once a popular gathering spot for the elderly, the arcade has emerged as a new alternative, giving seniors a place to relax and enjoy their favorite pastimes. The faces of those seated said it all - anger, joy, the tension of their matches. Seventeen janggi tables now fill the space, but it was not always that way. The room originally housed twelve janggi tables and five for baduk, but baduk players had their own gathering spot nearby and rarely showed up. Eventually, all seventeen became janggi tables. The aisles between tables are unusually wide, enough to fit another table. The reason is simple: their matches attract kibitzers who like to offer advice and tips. The extra space lets people move freely even when spectators line the sides. At peak times around sixty people fill the room. No food or smoking is allowed. When someone steps out for a cigarette or a coffee, another player naturally takes their seat. No fees. No restrictions. Visitors come from as far as other provinces. They play against new opponents, test their skills, and find worthy rivals. Unofficial rules sometimes emerge suddenly among them. 2026-03-12 10:23:16

Woori Bank to Create Financial Consumer Protection Committee Under Board Woori Bank will create a Financial Consumer Protection Committee under its board of directors as it seeks to make consumer protection a core management value. According to the Financial Supervisory Service on Wednesday, the bank plans to establish the committee on March 20 as a specialized subcommittee under the board. The move is intended to proactively implement best practices for financial consumer protection governance announced by the watchdog in September last year. The committee will have at least three members, including a director specializing in consumer protection, and will meet regularly at least once every six months. It will review key matters such as management strategies and policies related to consumer protection, as well as the enactment and revision of internal rules. Woori Bank said the new committee will strengthen internal controls so that consumer protection is reflected throughout the process, from product planning to post-sale management. The bank will also introduce a system in which its chief consumer officer, or CCO, can exercise exclusive prior-agreement rights and the right to request improvements on the design of performance compensation systems, including key performance indicators, to ensure consumer protection functions in practice during product sales. In addition, Woori Bank will run a professional training program to bolster consumer protection capabilities, creating courses to respond to changes in relevant laws and policies and to develop in-house experts. A Woori Bank official said the steps are aimed at embedding consumer protection as a core management value, adding that the bank will establish a consumer-centered financial culture across the entire process from product planning through post-sale management. 2026-03-12 10:21:00

South Korean researchers develop task AI enabling robots to learn, execute everyday chores SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - South Korean researchers have developed a robotic task artificial intelligence system capable of learning and carrying out routine household and workplace chores by observing human demonstrations, the state-run Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM) said Thursday. The AI system, built by a team led by Kim Jeong-jung at KIMM's Department of AI Machinery, allows robots to acquire task skills from human demonstrations, replicate them in a virtual environment for training and verification, and then execute them in real-world settings through a hierarchical task-execution framework. Unlike conventional robotic task technologies that have largely been confined to single-task datasets and simulation-only validation, the new system integrates the entire pipeline — from multi-task dataset construction and real-space virtualization to hierarchical task AI and physical robot deployment, according to KIMM. The research team said it achieved a success rate exceeding 90 percent across a range of tasks by employing a layered execution structure that breaks down complex operations into sequential steps. The system was validated on an actual robotic platform operating in real-world conditions, confirming its viability for field deployment. Potential applications span household and office service tasks, retail shelf arrangement and logistics operations such as picking and sorting — areas where labor-intensive, repetitive work has long been a bottleneck for automation. "This robotic task AI learns from demonstrations and reasons hierarchically, much like a human worker," Kim said. "We have secured generalized task capabilities applicable across a wide spectrum of everyday operations." Kim added that the team verified the system's reliability by building a diverse task dataset, securing a real-world testing environment and running validation on an actual robot, confirming that robots can reliably assist with repetitive daily tasks. The team plans to broaden the range of tasks robots can perform and strengthen their adaptability to shifting environments and unfamiliar objects, with the aim of accelerating deployment in commercial service settings. 2026-03-12 09:58:12

Polestar Discloses Carbon Footprints for Full Lineup, Including Polestar 5 Swedish premium EV maker Polestar on 12일 disclosed the carbon footprints for its entire lineup, including the four-door grand tourer Polestar 5. Polestar has published lifecycle assessments, or LCAs, for all models since 2020 to identify emissions from materials and manufacturing and reduce the climate impact of vehicle production. For the Polestar 5, total greenhouse-gas emissions before delivery are 23.8 tons, covering the process from raw-material extraction through production and delivery to the customer. The company said it is working to cut emissions by using more environmentally friendly materials. Aluminum is considered one of the most carbon-intensive materials in vehicle manufacturing. Polestar said it overhauled how aluminum is sourced for the Polestar 5: 13% of the aluminum is recycled, and 83% is produced at smelters powered by renewable energy. The company said that reduces greenhouse-gas emissions by more than 14 tons per vehicle compared with conventional methods. Renewable energy also plays a key role in production, Polestar said. The Polestar 5 uses renewable power not only at its manufacturing facilities but also at sites producing battery cell modules and key battery materials, cutting emissions from vehicle, parts and battery manufacturing. Polestar also said it used new materials in the interior to reduce environmental impact and applied circular design to the front trunk. "If you don’t measure it, you can’t reduce it," said Fredrika Klaren, Polestar’s head of sustainability. Disclosing a car’s carbon footprint, she said, "clearly shows where emissions occur" and encourages industry efforts to cut emissions from materials and manufacturing. She added that such transparency is essential to expanding low-carbon materials, renewable energy and circular solutions and reducing the auto industry’s climate impact. 2026-03-12 09:55:05

BLACKPINK draws big crowds in China and Japan with 'Deadline' promotions BLACKPINK drew strong interest in China and Japan with large-scale events marking the release of its third mini album, "Deadline." YG Entertainment said Thursday it successfully wrapped up a "Deadline" release promotion held across 20 Chinese cities in partnership with Tencent Music Entertainment Group, or TME. The company said it was planned as TME’s largest offline promotion to date, with a range of events rolled out starting on the album’s release day. Landmarks in cities including Ningbo, Macau, Shenzhen, Zhongshan and Foshan were lit in the group’s signature pink. Major shopping malls in high-traffic cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou featured album-themed wraps and large installations, while the music video for the title track, "GO," played on giant outdoor screens, turning the areas into "BLACKPINK spots." Pop-up stores in five cities also drew heavy crowds. In Shanghai, Dolby House Shanghai in the Zhangyuan cultural complex offered an immersive Dolby Atmos sound experience and large-screen presentations of the group’s music. The space combined tech-based music content with limited-edition merchandise, drawing positive reviews from visitors. The momentum continued in Japan. A pop-up store in Tokyo’s Shibuya district drew early lines before opening, and some items sold out quickly. Fans also took part in billboard events and promotions tied to major record labels, posting photos from the site on social media to celebrate the group’s comeback. "Deadline" sold 1,774,577 copies in its first week, according to Hanteo Chart, setting a new first-week record for a K-pop girl group. The album also ranked high on the main charts of the U.K.’s Official Charts and the U.S. Billboard, setting a record for the most chart entries by a K-pop female artist, the company said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 09:51:20