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

Samsung, Hanwha chiefs to visit UAE next week for AI, defense collaboration SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan are among a group of prominent South Korean executives traveling to the United Arab Emirates next week, industry sources said on Friday. The two leaders are expected to attend the Korea-UAE Business Round Table on Nov. 19, an event organized by the Korea Economic Association and KOTRA. The gathering follows last month’s APEC meeting in Gyeongju, where South Korean officials and business chiefs underscored the need for stronger international cooperation amid global geopolitical volatility. Industry officials said roughly 15 top executives will join the delegation. Lee, who has shown growing interest in investments and partnerships in the Gulf region, is expected to raise discussions on artificial intelligence and next-generation technologies. Kim, whose conglomerate has emerged as a major player in aerospace and defense, is likely to focus on expanding defense exports — an area where the UAE has become one of South Korea’s most important customers. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-14 10:01:59

OPINION: South Korea needs AI strategy that matches its demographic crisis South Korea is confronting a demographic reckoning unlike anything in its modern history. The country’s fertility rate fell to a record low of 0.75 in 2024 — the lowest in the world — and its working-age population has been shrinking since 2020. By next year, older adults will make up more than 20 percent of the population, a figure expected to reach 34.4 percent by 2040. These shifts threaten to upend the foundations of the nation’s economic growth, strain its welfare budget and hollow out regions already struggling to remain viable. At the same time, a revolution in artificial intelligence and robotics is sweeping through factories, hospitals, logistics centers and even white-collar workplaces. Machines are increasingly capable not only of performing routine physical labor but also of taking on cognitive tasks once thought resistant to automation. That convergence — a shrinking workforce and a rapidly expanding AI tool kit — presents South Korea with a stark choice: shape these forces into a coherent national strategy, or be overtaken by them. For too long, population policy has been synonymous with efforts to raise the birthrate. But no realistic scenario suggests that births alone can reverse the demographic decline. What South Korea needs instead is an integrated plan that pairs technological innovation with regional and industrial policy — a strategy for functioning, and even thriving, with fewer people. In the short term, that means deploying robots in the places that need them most: rural counties losing young adults, industrial towns struggling to fill shifts, and communities where aging residents outnumber the working-age population. In the long term, AI and robotics must be embedded into broader plans for industrial restructuring and regional revitalization. Some of this transformation is already underway. Care robots can help older adults live independently. Collaborative robots — or “cobots” — can amplify productivity in factories and farms. Domestic and childcare robots can ease the burdens that make family life more difficult, improving quality of life even if they do not raise birthrates. AI tools can extend the reach of doctors and nurses in underserved regions, narrowing healthcare gaps that widen as populations shrink. But technology alone is not enough. The government must identify which jobs are most suitable for automation, and where robotization can address the most acute labor shortages. That requires careful evaluation by industry and job type, followed by targeted investment in AI robotics and support for research and development. Building regional clusters for robot production and maintenance would not only create new industrial hubs but also anchor local economies facing population loss. Legal and institutional frameworks will need to evolve as well. As human-robot collaboration becomes commonplace, labor laws, safety standards and liability rules must keep pace. Social safety nets will have to be strengthened to soften the impact on workers displaced by automation and to provide pathways for retraining. If South Korea approaches this moment with vision, the rise of AI robotics can be more than a defensive measure. It can become the catalyst for redesigning the nation’s labor system — one that integrates technology, employment, education and ethics into a model of sustainable growth. Government investment in AI should therefore extend beyond headline-grabbing research projects and focus on robots that fill critical gaps in caregiving, domestic work, agriculture and logistics. Coordinated funding for deployment and training, in partnership with local governments, industry and universities, can position South Korea not only to cope with demographic decline but also to lead in the global robotics economy. About the author -Ph.D. in Economics, Sungkyunkwan University -Professor, Soonchunhyang University -Former President, Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs -Former President, Korea Economic Research Association -Former President, Korea Fiscal Policy Association * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-14 09:51:38

PHOTOS: Korean traditional dance's modern resurgence SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - Korean traditional dance is finding fresh resonance with the public, as a new generation of young choreographers reimagines age-old movements for the era of social media and digital platforms. Their works, which recast the breath, rhythm and restraint of classical Korean dance in contemporary form, have been circulating widely online, drawing viewers who might never have encountered the tradition onstage. That momentum has also spilled onto television. On the cable network Mnet’s competition series “Stage Fighter,” dancers have won over audiences with performances that fuse the emotional power of Korean dance with a sleek, modern visual language. What once risked being preserved only as restoration is now emerging as a creative vocabulary of its own — one that suggests a different kind of future for Korean performing arts. The idea that “tradition does not stay in the past” has become something of a guiding principle. Recent productions have captivated audiences by translating centuries-old gestures into the idiom of today. So did the 2025 Korea Traditional Dance Festival, held Oct. 30–31 at the National Theater of Korea, which drew notable attention amid the broader revival. Classic forms such as Taepyeongmu, long associated with the poise and dignity of royal court culture; Ganggangsullae, a communal circle dance that celebrates collective joy; and Bokkaechum, a refined fan dance that highlights beauty through the subtlest movements of the fingertips, were all reimagined onstage. Having moved beyond an era in which traditional dance was confined to court ritual or folk heritage, the form is now widening its reach. By merging choreography with music technologies, cinematic lighting and video art, Korean traditional dance is stepping decisively into the realm of contemporary performance. 2025-11-14 09:40:56