Foreign investors extend buying streak in South Korean stocks, bonds SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Foreign investors were net buyers of South Korean stocks and bonds in December, extending net inflows to a fourth consecutive month. Net foreign inflows into South Korean securities totaled $7.44 billion in December, according to the Bank of Korea’s report on international finance and foreign-exchange market trends released Wednesday. The figure marked the largest monthly inflow since September, when inflows reached $9.12 billion. Bond purchases accounted for the bulk of the inflows, totaling $6.26 billion, while net stock buying came to $1.19 billion. Bond inflows had surged to $11.81 billion in November, the highest monthly figure since the data series began in 2008. In December, foreign holdings of South Korean bonds that matured during the month reached $6.49 billion, the largest amount recorded for any December, the central bank said. A BOK official said equity flows turned positive on expectations that rising memory chip prices would lift profitability at domestic semiconductor companies. Bond inflows, meanwhile, continued to be led by public-sector investors, even as sizable volumes of bonds matured. South Korea’s credit default swap premium on government bonds averaged 22 basis points in December, down from 23 basis points a month earlier, indicating slightly improved perceptions of sovereign risk. 2026-01-14 13:43:50

Asian markets mixed as KOSPI slips after earlier gain on semiconductor strength SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Asian markets opened mixed on Wednesday, as South Korean shares rose on early semiconductor and energy gains but slipped amid broader caution across the region. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI was down 0.4 percent at 4,673 and the tech-heavy KOSDAQ also fell 0.8 percent to 941.4 as of around 11 a.m., as initial gains shortly after trading began earlier in the day gave way to selective profit-taking. Semiconductor shares traded mixed, with Samsung Electronics rising 1 percent to 139,000 won ($94.8) while SK hynix slipped 0.7 percent to 733,000 won after recent gains. Hanmi Semiconductor surged 3.0 percent to 178,300 won, extending gains after the company announced the appointment of a former Apple semiconductor executive as vice president and disclosed a new supply contract with SK hynix. The company also revealed a 9.65 billion won contract to supply TC bonder equipment used in high-bandwidth memory production, with delivery scheduled for early April. Energy and industrial shares also remained strong. Doosan Enerbility jumped 2.8 percent to 89,400 won, as investors continued to favor nuclear- and power-related stocks amid expectations of sustained global energy investment. Auto-related shares traded mixed, with Hyundai Motor falling 1.2 percent to 401,000 won, giving back some of its recent gains following a strong rally earlier in the week. The South Korean won weakened to 1,475.2 per dollar, extending the greenback's ongoing strength. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.4 percent to 54,320.1, supported by gains in exporters and technology shares. China's Shanghai Composite Index also climbed 0.3 percent to 4,150.2. 2026-01-14 11:26:21

Drivers left to rely on vigilance as Korea grapples with seasonal black ice hazard SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Black ice accompanies icy snow winter in South Korea and is blamed for road accidents and deaths, but the government has run out of ideas as fundamental prevention would require entire hefty replacement roadwork. Seven people were killed and nine others injured Saturday morning in a string of traffic accidents across highways and national roads in North Gyeongsang Province, with police citing black ice as the main cause. The accidents unfolded within a narrow early-morning window, when light precipitation met subzero temperatures — the precise conditions that make black ice most dangerous. Vehicles appeared to lose traction on road surfaces that looked dry, triggering chain collisions and truck rollovers at multiple locations. While investigations are continuing, the incidents have once again exposed the limits of South Korea’s winter road safety measures. Black ice, a thin and nearly invisible layer of ice, forms when moisture freezes on pavement after rain or snow. Because it blends into the road surface, drivers often recognize the danger only after braking or steering fails. The risk is neither new nor rare. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, icy roads caused 4,112 traffic accidents nationwide between 2020 and 2024, killing 83 people and injuring 6,664 others. Nearly 80 percent occurred in December and January. Data from the Korea Road Traffic Authority show that accidents on icy roads are significantly more lethal than on dry pavement. The fatality rate is about 1.5 times higher overall, and more than four times higher on bridges and overpasses — structures that freeze faster due to air circulation above and below. Despite repeated incidents, officials acknowledge that prevention options are limited. De-icing agents such as calcium chloride remain the primary response, but their effectiveness depends on timing, traffic volume and sudden temperature drops. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it is reviewing whether de-icing materials were sufficiently applied on the highway sections where Saturday’s accidents occurred. Local governments have focused on targeted measures rather than broad fixes. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it sends early-morning alert messages during freezing conditions and plans to expand road heating systems and brine-spraying devices at high-risk spots such as tunnel entrances and bridges. Structural constraints, however, remain the biggest hurdle. Rep. Son Myung-soo of the Democratic Party, a member of the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee and a former vice minister, said most Korean highways are paved with stone mastic asphalt (SMA), which is durable but drains water poorly. “In Europe and Japan, many highways use porous asphalt that allows water to drain more effectively,” Son said. “Replacing pavement in black ice-prone sections would reduce risks, but it would require large-scale and costly reconstruction.” With infrastructure fixes limited, experts say driver behavior becomes the last line of defense. Professor Choi Jae-won of the Korea Road Traffic Authority said braking distances on icy roads can increase up to sevenfold compared with dry surfaces, based on experimental data. “Black ice accidents occur most frequently at dawn,” Choi said. “Drivers should slow down well in advance, especially near bridges, tunnel entrances and shaded sections.” As winters grow more volatile, officials say managing black ice will continue to rely on a mix of localized engineering, faster alerts and heightened driver awareness — rather than a single, comprehensive solution. 2026-01-14 11:24:16

HD Construction Equipment lands excavator orders across Africa, Asia SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - HD Construction Equipment, HD Hyundai’s construction machinery unit, said Wednesday that it has signed contracts with mining developers in Ethiopia to supply 120 large excavators for gold mining projects. The order includes 70 DEVELON-branded 36-metric-ton excavators and 50 HYUNDAI-branded 34-metric-ton models. HD Construction Equipment said it commanded about 80 percent of Ethiopia’s excavator market last year, maintaining its leading position through product competitiveness and after-sales service. The company's 30-metric-ton class mid- to large-size excavators are designed for Africa’s resource-development environment, emphasizing durability, operational stability, mobility and fuel efficiency. Sales in the region have more than doubled annually over the past three years, the company said. To support further growth, the company plans to strengthen customer support through regional hubs in Ghana and South Africa, while building country-specific cooperation systems to respond to rising demand across Africa. HD Construction Equipment also reported sizable orders worldwide. In Vietnam, the company won contracts to supply 71 machines, including 20 wheeled excavators for the government’s emergency disaster-response programs and crawler excavators for national infrastructure projects. In Kyrgyzstan, the company will deliver 41 excavators, including 52-metric-ton large models and 38-metric-ton mid- to large-size machines, for transportation network expansion and real-estate development. In a regulatory filing Tuesday, HD Construction Equipment set a 2026 sales target of 8.72 trillion won ($6.6 billion) and an operating profit target of 439.6 billion won. 2026-01-14 11:10:34

Import prices extend gain on weak won, softer oil prices offset the rise Dec SEOUL, Jan. 14 (AJP) - South Korea’s import prices rose for a sixth consecutive month in December, though the pace of increase softened as falling global oil prices partially offset the impact of a weak won, data from the Bank of Korea (BOK) showed Wednesday — signaling lingering inflationary pressure likely to feed through to consumer prices with a lag. According to the BOK’s export-import price index (preliminary, in won terms; 2020=100), the import price index rose 0.7 percent from November to 142.39, marking a sharp deceleration from the 2.6 percent jump recorded the previous month. On a year-on-year basis, the index edged up 0.3 percent. Import prices have risen every month since July, marking the longest streak since May–October 2021. While the recent slowdown reflects easing energy costs, the sustained uptrend underscores the continued influence of the weak Korean won. Dubai crude oil prices fell 3.8 percent month on month and 15.3 percent on year to an average of $62.05 per barrel in December. The relief would have been greater if not for a weaker won. The U.S. dollar averaged 1,467.40 won in December, up 0.7 percent on month and 2.3 percent on year. “International oil prices declined, but the rise in the won-dollar exchange rate and higher prices for primary metal products pushed the import price index up,” said Lee Moon-hee, head of the BOK’s price statistics team. By category, intermediate goods prices rose 1.0 percent on month, driven by gains in primary metal products. Refined copper prices increased 8.7 percent, while other refined precious metals surged 13.6 percent. Mining products rose 0.2 percent, with copper ore climbing 10.0 percent and ammonia gaining 11.6 percent. Prices of "other" precious metal jumped 13.6 percent on month and as much as 89.5 percent on year, reflecting the spike in silver and gold prices. Raw material prices rose 0.1 percent overall. While crude oil prices declined, natural gas — including LNG — trended higher. On a year-on-year basis, however, LNG import prices fell 11.8 percent, broadly in line with the 13.3 percent annual decline in crude oil prices. Higher import prices tend to feed into consumer inflation after several months, keeping policymakers alert despite the recent moderation. Export prices hit record high as trade conditions improve Gains of exports prices benefited from the weak won and feverish demand for DRAM, helping to strengthen trade terms in Korea's favor. The export price index rose 1.1 percent on month to 140.93 in December, marking a sixth consecutive monthly increase and a record high. The rise, however, represented a significant slowdown from November’s 3.7 percent surge. DRAM export prices gained 5.2 percent on month and 57.5 percent on year amid dire shortage of mass-market memory due to capacity focus on high-performance memory by core producers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. In trade terms, export prices posted annualized gains of 5.4 percent, while income terms surged 17.9 percent — comfortably supporting the country's trade surplus streak. The export volume index and export value index, which together underpin the export price index, rose to record highs of 141.88 and 162.25, respectively, indicating exports were sold in both larger volumes and at higher prices. Silver recorded the steepest increase among export items, surging 27.7 percent in December and rising 116.1 percent over the course of 2025 — the fastest growth among major metals — buoyed by its dual role as a safe-haven asset and a key industrial input for semiconductors and secondary batteries. Refined copper prices climbed 10.4 percent, reflecting strong demand tied to power grids and AI infrastructure. BOK officials noted that export volumes continued to rise, led by semiconductors and computer storage devices, with year-end shipment concentration amplifying the gains. Despite easing commodity prices, the BOK stressed that the exchange rate remains the decisive factor. In December, export prices measured in contract currencies rose just 0.4 percent from the previous month, while import prices were flat — confirming that most of the increase in won-based indices stemmed from currency effects rather than underlying price pressures. Looking ahead to January, Lee said both Dubai crude prices and the won-dollar exchange rate have so far declined from December averages, but cautioned that “uncertainty in both domestic and global conditions remains high.” 2026-01-14 10:53:09

Verdict in impeached president's martial law case set for mid-February SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - A verdict for disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle is set for mid-February. After wrapping up a 17-hour final hearing for Yoon on charges of insurrection and abuse of power that lasted until the small hours of Wednesday, the Seoul Central District Court said it will deliver its ruling on Feb. 19. Prosecutors earlier asked the court to sentence Yoon to death. They also sought life imprisonment for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, accused of conspiring with Yoon over the Dec. 3 declaration of martial law in 2024, 30 years in prison for former military intelligence chief Noh Sang-won, and 20 years for former police chief Cho Ji-ho. Prosecutors argued that Yoon, as president, had a duty to uphold the constitutional order but destroyed it, and that he never properly apologized to the public for the debacle. In his final statement, the impeached president justified his martial law bid, repeating his previous claims. Yoon claimed that the short-lived martial law, which lasted just "a few hours," had been framed as an insurrection, with investigators launching a "mega-scale" probe that detained and indicted public officials who refused to give the statements they want to hear. He reiterated that his martial law bid was a presidential decision aimed at addressing what he described as legislative abuses by a party with a parliamentary majority, as well as repeated impeachments of officials that he said had paralyzed state affairs. Yoon said his only intention was to alert the public to a national crisis and urge vigilance, deploying only a small number of troops to the National Assembly without attempting to block votes or arrest politicians. He criticized the ongoing trials and investigations as an "organized effort" to frame him for insurrection and purge political opponents, claiming those who attempted to arrest and detain him were instead undermining the constitutional order. Yoon then asked the court for leniency for military personnel and public officials who carried out their duties under the declaration of martial law. He also urged the court to weigh the case's constitutional implications and his sense of responsibility to prevent the paralysis of state affairs, adding, "That can never be an attempt to subvert the Constitution." 2026-01-14 10:52:55

Coupang cuts logistics workforce as orders slip after data breach SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Coupang has cut more than 6,000 logistics workers over the past month through unpaid leave and a pullback in hiring as order volumes decline following a recent personal data breach, industry sources said Wednesday. Coupang Fulfillment Services, the e-commerce company’s logistics arm, notified full-time workers — including regular and contract employees — at major fulfillment centers nationwide in mid-December that they could apply for unpaid leave. More than 5,000 workers have taken up the offer over a month, the sources said. Hiring has also slowed sharply. In December, CFS hired about 1,400 fewer workers than in the previous month, a decline believed to be concentrated among short-term and day laborers. Combined with unpaid leave applicants, the reduction brings the workforce contraction to about 6,400 workers over the past month. Industry officials said day-labor shifts are increasingly being shortened. Coupang’s annual job fairs in major regions such as Gyeonggi Province, Daegu and Daejeon are also not expected to be held this year. The workforce adjustments come as user activity and spending show signs of strain. According to app analytics service Mobile Index, Coupang’s daily active users fell to 14.8 million by late December, down 17.7 percent from early in the month. Payment volume declined 7.7 percent between the first week of November and the third week of December. At the same time, rival platforms appear to be benefiting. Following controversy surrounding Coupang’s data breach and its handling of the incident, orders at competitors such as SSG.com and Market Kurly rose by 10 to 15 percent, according to industry estimates. 2026-01-14 10:30:11

From India plants to CES, Hyundai Motor Group chairman signals long-term tech ambitions SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun has begun 2026 with a series of overseas visits spanning China, the U.S. and India, underscoring the group’s focus on future technologies including mobility, hydrogen, artificial intelligence and robotics. Hyundai said Wednesday that Chung visited Hyundai Motor’s Chennai plant in southeastern India and Kia’s Anantapur plant in central India, followed by Hyundai Motor’s Pune plant in western India. During the visits, he reviewed production and sales and discussed the group’s mid- to long-term strategy in one of its most important growth markets. Hyundai entered India in 1996 and is marking its 30th anniversary this year. The group holds roughly a 20 percent share of the Indian auto market, ranking second overall, and is pursuing a more localized strategy to drive its next phase of growth. At the Chennai plant, Chung received a business briefing and toured the Creta production line, as well as Hyundai Mobis’ battery-system assembly facility. He said Hyundai’s growth over the past three decades had been built on support from Indian consumers and called for a “home-brand” strategy aimed at making the company a long-term national presence in the market. He urged executives to strengthen differentiation through vehicle quality and customer-focused service, and to foster a culture that encourages persistence and innovation even after setbacks. At Kia’s Anantapur plant, Chung said the brand — now in its eighth year in India — should set ambitious goals and seek to become the preferred choice for Indian consumers in terms of brand appeal, product competitiveness and quality. He emphasized the importance of moving quickly once objectives are set to support sustainable growth and a stronger brand. At the Pune plant, Chung closely reviewed production quality for the new Venue model and underscored the plant’s role in supporting the local economy. He also met with employees and their families, thanking them for their support and crediting their commitment as a key factor in Hyundai and Kia’s success in India. The India trip followed a visit to Beijing on Jan. 4-5, Chung’s first in eight months, where he assessed market conditions and explored strategic cooperation with Chinese partners. He attended a Korea-China business forum at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse for the first time in nine years, coinciding with a state visit by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. During the China visit, Chung discussed cooperation in areas including mobility, hydrogen, batteries and advanced technologies. He met with Zeng Yuqun, chairman of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., the world’s largest battery maker, to discuss electric-vehicle batteries. CATL supplies batteries for several Hyundai Motor Group models, including the Hyundai Kona EV and Kia Ray EV. He also exchanged views on hydrogen-related business with Hou Qijun, chairman of energy giant Sinopec, and met Zhang Naiwen, chairman of Yueda Group, Kia’s joint-venture partner in China. Chung then traveled to Las Vegas on Jan. 6-7 to attend CES 2026, the world’s largest consumer-technology trade show, where he tracked developments in artificial intelligence and robotics and met with executives from major global technology companies. Among the meetings drawing particular attention was his public encounter with Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang. Hyundai Motor Group and Nvidia have been expanding cooperation, including a contract for the supply of 50,000 Blackwell graphics processing units and efforts under a memorandum of understanding to advance physical AI capabilities, including plans to establish an Nvidia AI technology center in South Korea. 2026-01-14 10:11:06

BTS to tour 34 cities across world with over 70 gigs SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - K-pop boy band BTS will embark on a world tour in April, marking their first large-scale tour in about four years since their last one in Las Vegas in 2022. The group teased the tour on Wednesday at midnight with a poster on the global fan platform Weverse. The tour will begin in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, before heading to stops across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. With some 79 shows planned across 34 major cities across the world, the tour is expected to set a record for the most dates performed on a single tour by a K-pop act. Additional stops in Japan and the Middle East are also planned, likely extending the tour further. The tour is scheduled to kick off with three-day concerts on April 9, 11, and 12 on the outskirts of Seoul. BTS will then move to the southern port city of Busan to perform on June 12 and 13, with the June 13 show expected to coincide with their debut anniversary, allowing them to celebrate with fans. Starting with concerts on April 25 and 26 in Tampa, Florida, the septet's North American leg will include 28 shows across 12 cities. They will perform at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, becoming the first K-pop act to hold concerts of this scale in those cities. BTS will also take the stage at Stanford Stadium in California, following British band Coldplay as just the second artist to headline the venue. Additional U.S. dates include AT&T Stadium in Arlington and M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, marking the first-ever performances by a South Korean artist at those venues. BTS will then tour Europe in June and July with 10 shows in five cities including London, Paris, Madrid, and Brussels. They will also visit five South American cities including São Paulo and Buenos Aires, and plan to hold concerts in the Middle East. According to their management agency, they will perform on 360-degree stages during the tour. Just ahead of the tour, BTS will release their fifth full-length album on March 20, featuring 14 tracks. The album marks their full-group reunion, nearly three years and nine months after they completed their respective mandatory military service. BTS said the album conveys their honest feelings and reflections on past moments, with the goal of presenting themselves "as they are now." 2026-01-14 09:58:33

Taekwang Industries to acquire Dongsung Pharmaceutical in K-beauty push SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Taekwang Industries said Wednesday it will acquire mid-sized drugmaker Dongsung Pharmaceutical through a consortium with United Asset Management Co., known as UAMCO, marking its latest move to diversify beyond its core chemicals and textiles businesses. Taekwang's board approved the acquisition at a meeting held Jan. 7. Dongsung produces a range of consumer health and personal-care products. Taekwang said the deal is intended to accelerate its expansion into beauty and health care. The group has recently outlined plans to enter cosmetics and household goods and established a cosmetics-focused unit, SIL. The acquisition of Dongsung would allow Taekwang to build what it described as a “beauty and health care platform” spanning both cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The company plans to build on Dongsung’s stable revenue base centered on over-the-counter drugs and hair-care products, while applying its own brand management, product planning and distribution capabilities to improve competitiveness. Working with UAMCO, Taekwang plans to improve Dongsung’s financial structure by reviewing a shift toward outsourced manufacturing, including ODM and OEM models, and by optimizing production lines through UAMCO-backed companies such as Picostec. The group also aims to raise profitability by streamlining selling and administrative expenses. A Taekwang official said the acquisition is a strategic bid to strengthen competitiveness in the K-beauty market by combining Taekwang’s cosmetics strategy with Dongsung’s research capabilities and expertise in hair-care products. The official added that the company aims to gradually complete an integrated value chain, from product planning and manufacturing to distribution, to establish a foundation for mid- to long-term growth. 2026-01-14 09:41:01