Korea's M2 growth moderates as investors favor short-term returns SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - South Korea’s broad money growth stalled in November under a revised definition of M2, reflecting both a statistical adjustment and a deeper shift in investor behavior toward short-term, high-return assets. According to data released Wednesday by the Bank of Korea (BOK), the M2 money supply stood at 4,057.5 trillion won ($2.77 trillion) in November 2025, little changed from the previous month and marking a second consecutive month of flat growth. The figure represents a slight decline from October’s 4,059.5 trillion won. Beginning in January, the BOK revised its M2 methodology in line with International Monetary Fund (IMF) standards, excluding beneficiary certificates — including exchange-traded fund (ETF) units — from the broad money total due to their high price volatility. Under the previous definition, November M2 would have amounted to 4,498.6 trillion won, showing a modest month-on-month increase. Even after accounting for the revision, the data point to heightened liquidity volatility, driven by investor preference for fast-turnover assets such as equities and short-term bonds. On a year-on-year basis, M2 rose 4.8 percent in November, slowing from October’s 5.2 percent increase. While moderating, Korea’s monetary expansion continues to outpace that of major reserve-currency economies, exceeding the United States’ 4.3 percent growth and Japan’s 1.8 percent. Liquidity levels also remain elevated relative to economic output. Data submitted by the BOK to Rep. Park Sung-hoon of the ruling People Power Party show Korea’s M2-to-GDP ratio at 153.8 percent — more than double the 71.4 percent recorded in the United States. The composition of money holdings highlights a growing bias toward liquidity. Financial bonds with maturities of less than two years increased by 4.2 trillion won, while marketable instruments rose by 2.5 trillion won, reflecting a shift away from longer-term financial products amid a buoyant securities market and rising demand for overseas equities. The trend has carried into the new year. Recent data released Tuesday show demand deposits at the country’s five major banks fell by about 27 trillion won from end-December levels, while investor deposits climbed to a record high exceeding 90 trillion won as of Jan. 8 — signaling an accelerating flow of funds from bank accounts into equity markets. By sector, corporations increased their M2 holdings by 11 trillion won in November, while “other financial institutions,” including brokerages and asset managers, added 8.7 trillion won. In contrast, money holdings by households and non-profit organizations declined by 12.3 trillion won, underscoring the rapid shift by individual investors toward riskier assets. 2026-01-14 16:48:28

Overseas investing reshaping Korea's FX market: BOK SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - A sharp rise in overseas securities investment by South Koreans led to nearly $20 billion in net foreign-exchange outflows last year, the Bank of Korea said in a report Wednesday, underscoring why the won weakened despite large current-account surpluses. Net foreign-currency outflows linked to residents’ overseas securities purchases and overseas investment by pension funds totaled $19.6 billion from January through October last year. The findings were presented by Kwon Yong-oh, head of the Bank of Korea’s international finance research team, at a policy symposium in Seoul. Kwon said exchange-rate movements since the global financial crisis have been closely tied to shifts in foreign-exchange supply and demand. Prior to the 2020s, current-account surpluses typically exceeded demand created by residents’ overseas investment, resulting in an excess supply of foreign currency and a stronger won. That dynamic has since changed, he said. Despite sustained current-account surpluses since 2024, the won has weakened rapidly. Kwon suggested that export-related dollar inflows may not be fully entering the market as some exporters delay currency conversion, while growing overseas investment by residents has tightened dollar supply and demand. From January through October last year, South Korea’s current-account surplus generated $89.6 billion in net inflows, while foreign investors’ purchases of domestic securities added $31.9 billion, according to the central bank. Those inflows were more than offset by a surge in residents’ overseas securities investment and overseas investment by the National Pension Service, resulting in a net foreign-exchange outflow of $19.6 billion, or roughly 29 trillion won at current exchange rates. The outflow marked a sharp increase from the same period a year earlier, when net outflows totaled about $500 million. Residents’ overseas securities investment jumped to $117.1 billion from $71.0 billion a year earlier. “Residents’ behavior is driving the shift in foreign-exchange supply and demand,” Kwon said. Kwon also pointed to a widening growth gap between South Korea and the U.S., as well as differences in expected stock-market returns, as contributing factors to the won’s recent weakness. Addressing claims that excessive liquidity expansion has weakened the won, Kwon said a long-term channel linking money-supply growth to higher inflation and currency depreciation is theoretically possible, but noted that empirical evidence remains inconclusive. 2026-01-14 16:19:56

Railway passenger numbers hit record due to surge in high-speed train usage SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - South Korea saw a record number of railway passengers last year, as more people used high-speed trains not only for travel but also for daily commutes, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on Wednesday. The total number of railway passengers reached 172.22 million as of the end of las year, up 0.6 percent from the previous year and the highest on record. Among them, passengers on high-speed bullet trains KTX and SRT totaled 93 million and 26 million, averaging 254,000 and 71,000 per day, respectively. The ministry said the increase is partly due to a new railway line connecting Jecheon in North Chungcheong Province and Wonju in Gangwon Province and other southern areas, which opened in December 2024, carrying about 2.75 million passengers so far. Passengers on conventional slower trains with frequent stops fell 3.6 percent from a year earlier to 53 million, indicating a shift toward high-speed trains. By destination, trains to the southern port city of Busan carried the most passengers, totaling 83.60 million. Of these, 61.40 million traveled on high-speed trains and 20.22 million on conventional trains. Seoul Station in the capital was the busiest, with 43.90 million passengers, followed by Busan (26.10 million), Dongdaegu (20.50 million), Daejeon (19.60 million) and Yongsan (15.10 million). To meet growing demand, the ministry expanded discount programs for the elderly, people with disabilities, families with multiple children, and pregnant women. It also installed around 300 new ticketing machines, offering various services including remote consultations and other assistance. Some 385,000 families with multiple children and 699,000 pregnant women benefited from substantial discounts for their fares. The ministry also said it will come up with tour programs aimed at revitalizing local tourism in areas facing population decline by attracting visitors. Kim Tae-byeong from the ministry said, "We will ensure the safety of passengers while continuing to improve services." 2026-01-14 16:15:32

Contrary to long-held belief, kimchi and traditional Korean diets may not be as healthy as assumed SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Kimchi, South Korea's fermented staple, has been included in U.S. government dietary guidelines for its potential benefits to gut health. Yet a new Korean study suggests that high salt intake from kimchi and other traditional foods may contribute to cancer risk — challenging the widely held view that the Korean diet is inherently healthy. The study, led by researchers from Seoul National University and published in the government-funded journal Epidemiology and Health, estimates that 6.08 percent of cancer cases and 5.70 percent of cancer deaths in Korea are attributable to dietary factors. The findings, indexed in PubMed at the U.S. National Library of Medicine, raise fresh questions about the long-term health impact of salt-heavy eating patterns. Using national health and nutrition survey data and large Korean cohort studies, the research team calculated population-attributable fractions (PAFs) for diet-related cancers between 2015 and 2030. Korea's diet-attributable cancer incidence exceeds that of the United States (5.2 percent) and France (5.4 percent), though it remains lower than that of the United Kingdom (9.2 percent) and Germany (7.8 percent). Among dietary factors, salted vegetables — including kimchi, salted cabbage, radish and cucumber — emerged as the single largest contributor to cancer burden. In 2020, salted vegetables accounted for an estimated 2.12 percent of all cancer cases and 1.78 percent of cancer deaths, with a particularly strong association with stomach cancer. More than 44 percent of diet-related cancer cases were stomach cancers, which also made up over 37 percent of diet-related cancer deaths. The PAFs for diet-related stomach cancer reached 24.61 percent for incidence and 24.27 percent for mortality, suggesting that roughly one in four stomach cancer cases in Korea may be linked to dietary factors. "The findings quantify how a salt-heavy diet structurally drives the burden of stomach cancer in Korea," the authors wrote. The dietary impact was notably higher among men than women. For men, 8.43 percent of cancer cases and 7.93 percent of cancer deaths were linked to diet, compared with 3.45 percent and 2.08 percent, respectively, for women. The researchers attributed the gap to higher consumption of salted vegetables, red and processed meat, and lower intake of vegetables and fruit among men. Salted vegetable consumption has been gradually declining, driven by sodium-reduction policies and changing eating habits. Even so, the study projects that salted vegetables will remain Korea's largest dietary cancer risk factor through 2030, underscoring the need to reduce both portion size and salt content. The researchers also warned that cutting back on salty foods alone will have limited impact unless accompanied by broader dietary changes. Low intake of non-starchy vegetables and fruit was identified as another major driver of cancer risk. Koreans consume an average of 340.5 grams of vegetables and fruit per day — well below the internationally recommended range of 490 to 730 grams. The shortfall increases the risk of stomach and colorectal cancers, as well as certain respiratory and digestive cancers. The cancer burden linked to insufficient produce intake is expected to remain largely unchanged through 2030. Red and processed meat showed relatively low PAFs in Korea — accounting in 2020 for just 0.10 percent and 0.02 percent of cancer cases, respectively — largely because consumption remains lower than in many Western countries. However, the study warned that steadily rising intake since the mid-2000s could raise the PAF for processed meat to 0.08 percent by 2030, amplifying its impact over time. "Diet-based cancer prevention in Korea must go beyond reducing salted vegetables," the authors wrote. "It is essential to increase the consumption of fresh vegetables, fruit and dietary fiber at the same time." For Koreans, kimchi is more than a side dish. It anchors daily meals and symbolizes warmth and hospitality at the table. Sharing kimchi is often a way of sharing affection — whether passed to a neighbor or sent to family living far away. Each winter, families and communities gather for gimjang, the traditional kimchi-making season, salting and seasoning cabbage in large batches to last through the cold months. Even as Korean kimchi gains global popularity, domestic consumption has been gradually declining, reflecting rising incomes and the steady westernization of diets. 2026-01-14 16:08:56

EXO, BTS, BIGBANG and BLACKPINK set to reclaim the real K-pop stage in 2026 SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) -After a year when a Netflix-born fictional idol group soaked up global buzz, K-pop’s original hitmakers are ready to retake the spotlight in 2026 — not through novelty, but through craft, catalog and command. EXO, BTS, BIGBANG and BLACKPINK — each more than a decade into their careers — are lining up comebacks or group activities that point back to what made K-pop a global force in the first place: precision rhythm, unmistakable stage presence and intellectual property built to endure. EXO: the blueprint for performance-driven K-pop EXO opens the 2026 calendar with its eighth full-length album REVERXE, set for release on Jan. 19 — the group’s first full comeback in over two years. All nine tracks will drop simultaneously, followed by a showcase at Kyung Hee University’s Peace Hall in Seoul. The return leans into EXO’s defining strength: scale. The pre-release track “Back It Up,” first unveiled at the MMA 2025 awards in December, arrived with a 40-dancer stage setup — a reminder of the group’s reputation for turning studio tracks into arena-ready spectacles. Their MMA setlist — spanning “Monster,” “Growl,” “Love Shot” and “The Eve” — didn’t just energize longtime EXO-Ls. It sparked fresh interest among younger artists and new listeners, with clips circulating widely across social platforms. A decade on, EXO’s stage-first identity is still recruiting new fans. BTS: a full-team return, nearly four years in the making BTS returns as a complete seven-member group on March 20 with its fifth studio album, nearly four years after its last group release. The 14-track record is expected to reflect the musical evolution forged during an extended solo era. The group’s staying power is already measurable. According to Melon, BTS’ 2017 track “Spring Day” has appeared on the platform’s annual chart for nine consecutive years — the longest run in its history and a rare marker of sustained listening demand. Rather than diluting the brand, the hiatus expanded it. Solo albums and global tours pushed each member’s reach further, transforming BTS from a release-cycle-driven act into something closer to a long-term cultural franchise. BIGBANG and BLACKPINK: scarcity, scale and global pull BIGBANG remains one of K-pop’s rarest forces — a group whose limited activity only amplifies its impact. While concrete release plans remain unconfirmed, the group is set to mark its 20th anniversary with a group activity in April, an appearance alone enough to reset expectations across the industry. Following the release of “Still Life,” T.O.P formally stepped away, leaving G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung as the current lineup. With reports pointing to T.O.P’s solo return in 2026, fan speculation about future collaborations among the original members has resurfaced. G-Dragon’s standing as a cross-generational icon remains unshaken. His third full-length solo album Übermensch capped a dominant awards season across South Korea and China, reaffirming both his artistic authority and commercial pull more than a decade into his career. BLACKPINK continues to operate on a different plane entirely. Through blockbuster world tours and parallel solo careers, the group has shown that female acts can function as enduring global IPs with diversified revenue streams. A full-member comeback is confirmed for 2026, with album and tour details still under wraps — and anticipation already building. Jennie reinforced her solo stature at the 40th Golden Disc Awards in 2026, taking both the Digital Song Main Prize and the Grand Prize (Record of the Year). In 2025, she also became the first K-pop soloist to receive the Global Force Award at Billboard Women in Music in the United States. Rosé has posted her own run of milestones. Her collaboration with Bruno Mars, “APT.,” won Song of the Year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, making her the first K-pop artist to claim a top-tier VMA category. Her solo album Rosie reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 — the highest placement ever achieved by a female K-pop solo artist. "APT" is shortlisted for both the Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the upcoming Grammy Awards. A reset moment for K-pop’s live economy What unites these four acts is not nostalgia, but durability. Their catalogs, stagecraft and global fan bases arrive at a moment when K-pop faces criticism for creative stagnation and a shortage of true blockbuster hits. The timing also carries financial weight. HYBE’s profitability dipped in 2025 amid heavy investment in new IPs and overseas restructuring, but analysts see a sharp rebound ahead. “With BTS returning, HYBE’s earnings trajectory is expected to turn decisively upward in 2026,” said Jang Ji-hye, an analyst at DS Investment & Securities. Add growing speculation about a reopening of China’s concert market, and veteran acts with proven touring power may be uniquely positioned to benefit. In 2026, K-pop’s legacy names aren’t chasing trends — they’re reminding the industry where the standard was set. 2026-01-14 16:06:37

Boot camp becomes winter break SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) -What was once synonymous with hardship is increasingly being reimagined as a winter challenge experience. The 1st Marine Division on Jan. 12 opened the “2026 Winter Marine Corps Camp” at its training center in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, drawing participants eager to sample life inside Korea’s elite fighting force. About 230 people — including middle and high school students, university students and adults from across the country — signed up for the multi-day program. The division structured the camp around three themes: “Beginning,” “Challenge” and “Leap.” Day one: induction Participants began with an induction ceremony, followed by introductions to Marine Corps history, basic drill movements and traditional military songs — a first taste of discipline and esprit de corps. Training, winter edition From days two through four, the schedule shifted from classrooms to the field. Activities included mountain training, basic airborne exercises, inflatable boat (IBS) drills, hill training at Cheonja Peak and rides aboard the Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicle (KAAV). This year’s camp also introduced a new program on military drones, offering participants a demonstration of how unmanned systems are increasingly integrated into modern operations. Safety first The division said the training is being operated flexibly in response to severe winter weather, with enhanced safety protocols in place. Measures include advance risk assessments and the constant deployment of medical personnel throughout the program. For many participants, the camp offers not just a break from routine, but a hands-on glimpse into military life — turning winter vacation into a test of endurance, teamwork and resolve. 2026-01-14 15:44:58

South Korea's finance chief links pension strategy, digital assets to currency stability SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Despite a record current-account surplus, South Korea’s currency market has become more volatile, driven by imbalances in capital flows rather than trade, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yoon-cheol said Wednesday. Koo made the remarks Tuesday in a video address to a symposium hosted at the Korea Federation of Banks building in Seoul, while on a visit to the U.S. The event focused on changes in the foreign-exchange market environment and policy priorities. He attributed the recent market moves to imbalances in foreign-exchange supply and demand, citing in particular a rapid increase in overseas securities investment by domestic institutions. The government, he said, is working to strengthen economic fundamentals while also pursuing short-term market responses and measures to improve supply-demand conditions. Koo highlighted the National Pension Service as a key participant in the market, noting that its overseas assets now exceed South Korea’s foreign-exchange reserves. He said the government would accelerate discussions on a new framework aimed at balancing investment returns with foreign-exchange market stability. Turning to South Korea’s long-running push to be included in MSCI’s developed-market index, Koo described the effort as essential to enhancing the attractiveness of the country’s capital and foreign-exchange markets and aligning them more closely with advanced economies. Koo also pointed to digital assets as a potential source of structural change in financial markets, saying their institutionalization could reshape trading beyond traditional financial and foreign-exchange transactions. On stablecoins, Koo said setting clear rules is an urgent task, adding that the government plans to prepare measures within the year to prevent regulatory circumvention as stablecoins are legalized. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-14 15:43:04

Ice rink in Seoul attracts over 100,000 visitors in less than a month SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Over 100,000 people have visited an ice rink in front of Seoul Plaza since its opening for this winter in mid-December, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Wednesday. The ice rink, which runs until Feb. 8 after opening on Dec. 13 last year, has proven popular among citizens looking to enjoy winter activities at affordable prices, drawing an average of about 4,000 visitors a day, up from last winter's daily average of 3,269. Visitors can skate from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday, with extended hours on Saturdays and public holidays, for just 1,000 Korean won or less than a buck, a price unchanged since the rink's first seasonal opening in 2004. Free rentals of safety gear including helmets and knee pads are available, along with amenities and other facilities for users' convenience. The rink's opening coincided with the city's winter festivities including a lantern festival along the Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul, allowing visitors to enjoy urban winter charms throughout the day. An open-air market with makeshift booths selling agricultural produce and other specialty products is adding to the fun, drawing not only rink visitors but also nearby office workers. In particular, farmers from Gunsan in North Jeolla Province are tempting passersby with same-day-harvested strawberries and winter snacks such as roasted sweet potatoes and cuttlefish, selling like hotcakes. "The city government will continue to ensure the safety of all visitors, helping them make good winter memories," said Kim Myeong-ju, a Seoul city official. 2026-01-14 15:05:52

KEPCO eyes US market with Columbia grid project SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) said Wednesday it has signed a technology cooperation agreement with the city of Columbia, S.C., as it looks to expand its business in the U.S., the world’s largest electricity market. KEPCO said it signed a memorandum of understanding on power distribution grid technology cooperation on Jan. 13, local time, at Columbia City Hall. The agreement was signed by Jung Chi-kyo, KEPCO’s executive vice president, and Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann. The partnership is aimed at adapting KEPCO’s distribution grid operating technologies to U.S. market conditions. The company plans to pursue demonstration projects and commercialization in the U.S. for its in-house systems, including an advanced distribution management system, or ADMS, and an energy management platform known as K-BEMS. Under the agreement, KEPCO and the city of Columbia will form a joint working group involving KEPCO’s research arm, the Korea Institute of Energy Technology, the Electric Power Research Institute and the University of South Carolina. The group will develop a U.S.-tailored distribution grid operations solution and carry out a demonstration project using Columbia’s power grid. KEPCO said Columbia’s plan to source 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2036 has heightened the need to improve efficiency in aging distribution networks and to manage the growing use of distributed energy resources. Applying KEPCO’s operating technology is expected to enhance grid safety and help lower energy costs, the company said. KEPCO described the project as its first step into the U.S. power distribution market, saying it will use the Columbia project as a reference case for expanding South Korean grid technologies more broadly across the U.S. power sector. “KEPCO’s distribution operations know-how and proven technology can contribute to improving service quality and supporting local economic development,” Jung said. 2026-01-14 14:42:25

Korean payroll growth stagnates in 2025 amid weak domestic demand, youth job scarcity SEOUL, Jan. 14 (AJP) — South Korea’s labor market held up on the surface in 2025, with employment and participation rates reaching record highs, but stagnant payroll growth, manufacturing job losses and the highest youth unemployment in three years underscored lingering fragility, government data showed Wednesday. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the number of employed people aged 15 and older reached 28.769 million in 2025, up 193,000, or 0.7 percent, from the previous year. Payroll gains have remained below 200,000 for a second consecutive year, reflecting sluggish economic growth of around 1 percent or less. The employment rate for those aged 15 to 64 rose to 69.8 percent, the highest on record under OECD standards. The overall employment rate stood at 61.5 percent, up 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier and the best level since data collection began in 1963. Despite the strong headline figures, conditions worsened for younger workers. The employment rate for those aged 15 to 29 fell to 45.0 percent in 2025 from 46.1 percent a year earlier, while the youth unemployment rate rose to 6.1 percent from 5.9 percent, the highest in three years. Job losses were concentrated in key industries. Employment in construction fell 6.1 percent year on year, reflecting a prolonged sectoral downturn, while manufacturing employment declined 1.6 percent. The number of “idled” people — those neither working nor actively seeking employment — continued to rise, increasing from 2.351 million in 2023 to 2.467 million in 2024 and further to 2.555 million in 2025. By age group, the idled population increased by 19,000 among those in their 20s and by 67,000 among those aged 60 and older, highlighting growing difficulties for young people entering the labor market. The share of discouraged job seekers — those who have given up looking for work — within the economically inactive population also climbed steadily, from 14.5 percent in 2023 to 15.3 percent in 2024 and 15.8 percent in 2025. December data were largely in line with the full-year trend. Employment rose by 168,000 from a year earlier to 28.2 million, slowing from a gain of 225,000 in November. The youth employment rate was unchanged from the previous month, extending a period of weakness. Construction and manufacturing — sectors that account for a large share of regular jobs — each shed about 63,300 positions in December, reinforcing concerns over the durability of job creation amid weak domestic demand. 2026-01-14 14:32:57