BLACKPINK's Jennie sets new milestone with four RIAA certifications SEOUL, December 2 (AJP) - K-pop girl group BLACKPINK's member Jennie has earned another "gold" certification for a song from her first full-length solo-debut album. According to the U.S. Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)'s latest list released this week, "ExtraL" from her album "Ruby" received the honor. This brings Jennie's RIAA certifications to four, the most among K-pop solo artists, including three tracks from "Ruby." Previously, she received a "platinum" certification for "One Of The Girls," a collaboration with Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd and French-American actress Lily-Rose Depp, as well as “gold” certifications for "Mantra" and "Like JENNIE." The RIAA awards certifications based on album sales - gold for 500,000 units, platinum for 1 million, multi-platinum for 2 million, and diamond for 10 million. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-02 15:06:33

Korea's only commercial small-satellite platform firm targets global growth with planned IPO SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - Nara Space Technology, South Korea’s only commercial provider of small-satellite platforms, is preparing to list on the KOSDAQ market as it seeks to scale its global business on the back of growing demand for earth-observation data. At a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday, CEO Park Jae-pil said the company aims to become a world-class small-satellite developer, leveraging the “space heritage” it has accumulated through successful launches and in-orbit operations ahead of its IPO. The company plans to issue 1.72 million shares at a price range of 13,100 to 16,500 won, raising an estimated 22.5 billion to 28.4 billion won. Institutional bookbuilding closes on Dec. 2, with retail subscriptions scheduled for Dec. 8–9. The company aims to complete its listing within December. Samsung Securities is acting as lead underwriter. “We are the only company in South Korea capable of providing small-satellite cluster services,” Park said. “Funds raised from the listing will be used to expand internationally and speed up satellite launches.” Founded in 2015, Nara Space Technology has grown into the country’s sole commercial supplier offering end-to-end capabilities spanning satellite design, manufacturing, launch, mission operations, imaging and data analytics. The company secured its space heritage after successfully launching and communicating with its Observer-1A satellite in November 2023 and its Observer-1B in 2025. It now operates two satellites in orbit. Nara Space Technology’s recent payload launch on South Korea’s Nuri rocket, and its contract to fly again on Nuri’s sixth mission in 2027, have strengthened its credibility. The firm is working with major Korean companies including Samsung Electronics, KT and Hanwha Systems. Its cluster-based observation platform shortens revisit intervals compared with single-satellite systems, offering applications in disaster response, carbon-emission monitoring and smart-city management. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-02 15:06:03

AJP addresses trust gap in bias-driven news landscape SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - The media's role of ensuring fairness and trust has become increasingly vital as audiences and readers grow either selective or evasive in consumption of news, and as societies shift from institution-based to network-driven structures, media veterans and scholars said in a forum hosted by Asian news agency AJP on Tuesday. The forum, held to commemorate AJP's first anniversary, featured Sohn Jie-ae, visiting professor at Ewha Womans University, Park Han-woo, professor at Yeungnam University, and Lee Byung-jong, professor at Sookmyung Women's University. AJP Chief Editor Seo Hye-seung moderated the discussion. Lee opened the discussion by reflecting on long-standing asymmetries in global news coverage. He recalled UNESCO's past critism of the western-dominated news supply, and unsuccessful attempts by Asia-Pacific media to build alternative platforms. "The situation is different now. Asian media outlets like AJP are preparing to step up," Lee said. "South Korea has developed its capabilities through democracy and media development." Lee highlighted South Korea's pioneering role in online democracy, recalling how former President Roh Moo-hyun earned the nickname "Internet President" when SMS messaging positively influenced elections. However, he pointed out that two decades later, social media has shifted toward negative polarization through fan-based politics and fortified ideological camps. "Research shows false information spreads about six times faster than truthful information," Lee added, expressing concern over changing media dynamics. Park addressed questions about the impact of cryptocurrency-based prediction markets on democracy. He explained that platforms like Polymarket have significantly lowered entry barriers to political betting, contrasting this with the Lee Myung-bak era when financial interests existed but lacked digital connectivity. "People may now bet against their own ideological beliefs for financial gain," Park said. "This could create serious chaos for democracy." The panel tackled questions about journalistic objectivity in depth. Sohn argued that complete objectivity in reporting is difficult to achieve. "The very act of deciding what story to write involves subjective judgment," Sohn said. "What matters is that journalists understand both sides of an issue before their readers do, and constantly consider how to present information fairly and in a balanced manner." Sohn added that she teaches students to find the "selling point" in their stories, emphasizing that since editors and journalists ultimately make editorial decisions, their knowledge, integrity, and ethical awareness are crucial. Park highlighted the unique challenges facing English-language news outlets in Korea. Using the recent Coupang data breach as an example, he noted the tension between reporting from a national interest perspective versus global standards. "If you report from a national interest standpoint, you might approach it sympathetically. But global standards would require pointing out the digital platform's negligence in data management," Park said. He also noted the Coupang incident involves allegations of Chinese involvement, raising questions about whether to frame coverage nationalistically or through universal principles. "Korean news consumers are likely issue-based or fan-based audiences, so deeper reporting is essential," he advised. On building reader trust, Lee warned that maintaining neutrality and earning reader trust has become extremely difficult today. "Over-focusing on loyal audiences means sacrificing some objectivity," he said. Lee explained that media outlets must balance independent, fair reporting with financial sustainability, noting some have turned to government subsidies or donations instead of advertising or subscriptions. Park emphasized face-to-face engagement. "Most general readers tend to be older, so they need to meet journalists and editors directly," he said. "Offline events and forums help build rapport with readers. The New York Times uses this strategy as well." He suggested that directly briefing senior readers would increase their subscription commitment, noting older audiences differ from younger demographics. Sohn concluded that face-to-face communication and financial stability are both important. "In opinion sections, readers seek journalists they trust," she said. "Developing differentiated storytelling approaches is key to building that trust." 2025-12-02 14:58:49

South Korea's Hanwha Ocean wins $255 million order for two large oil carriers SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - Hanwha Ocean said Tuesday it has secured an order for two very-large crude carriers (VLCCs), valued at 375.3 billion won ($255 million). The VLCCs will be built at the company’s Geoje shipyard. Company officials say improved conditions in the international oil market are fueling new orders. Rising production and exports by OPEC members have lifted VLCC freight rates, while the aging of the global tanker fleet is accelerating replacement demand. With the latest deal, Hanwha Ocean has secured orders for 43 vessels so far this year. Those include 19 VLCCs, 17 container ships, six LNG carriers and one icebreaking research vessel, with a combined value of about $7.96 billion. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-02 14:35:25

Coupang censured by Korean president as founder-chair stays silent SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - Coupang’s management came under heavy fire from lawmakers and direct censure from the Korean president on Tuesday, after the country’s largest-ever data breach — affecting virtually all of its 33.7 million customers — went undetected for nearly five months. Shares in Coupang, listed on the Nasdaq, slid more than 5 percent on the first trading day after the disclosure, paring part of the 28 percent gain built earlier this year. JPMorgan warned that fines, voluntary compensation programs and litigation could weigh on near-term sentiment, although customer churn may prove limited given Coupang’s dominant market position. The company has confirmed that unauthorized access began on June 24 via overseas servers. While initial reports suggested that only 4,500 accounts were compromised, the tally soared to 33.7 million after an internal review. At a parliamentary inquiry, CISO Brett Mathis said the intruder had used a stolen private signing key to forge authentication tokens and impersonate legitimate users. He stressed that access was restricted to specific APIs and that there was no evidence of password changes, payment-system infiltration or deeper server compromise. Investigators believe the suspect to be a former employee of Chinese nationality — a detail that has intensified scrutiny of Coupang’s internal privilege controls, monitoring systems and employee off-boarding procedures. President Lee Jae Myung condemned the breach at a cabinet meeting, urging authorities to use “all possible tools” to prevent secondary damage and to establish accountability quickly. “It is shocking that such a massive leak remained undetected for five months,” he said, calling for stronger punitive-damage rules and a broad “paradigm shift” in digital-security standards across both public and private sectors. Public anger has mounted sharply. Online class-action communities have surged, with one forum attracting more than 70,000 members within a day of the disclosure. The scale of the breach — equivalent to roughly 65 percent of the Korean population — has sharpened the backlash. The incident has also reignited long-standing criticism of Coupang’s governance structure. Founder and chairman Bom Kim, who retains more than 70 percent of voting power through dual-class shares, has remained silent amid the controversy. Kim has long cited overseas residence to avoid parliamentary summons, fueling criticism that the company reaps near-total domestic revenues while sheltering behind U.S. legal structures — even as it faces recurring disputes over warehouse-worker deaths, platform-fee practices and regulatory probes. Recent revelations that Kim converted dual-class shares and cashed out about ₩5 trillion last year have intensified debate over responsibility versus reward. In Korea, Coupang could face fines of up to 3 percent of revenue — potentially around $1 billion — under the revised Personal Information Protection Act if government investigations conclude that lax oversight enabled the breach. In the United States, the company may also face scrutiny over whether it failed to comply with the SEC’s new rule requiring disclosure of “material cybersecurity incidents” within four business days. As of Monday, no such filing had been made, raising the prospect of further regulatory exposure. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-02 14:34:32

North Korea stresses strong ties in commemorative letter to Laos on 50th anniversary SEOUL, December 2 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory letter to Laos on the 50th anniversary of its national founding, emphasizing the longstanding ties between the two countries. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim expressed confidence in the continued development of friendly cooperation between the two countries in his letter to Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith. A floral tribute was also delivered through the North Korean ambassador to Laos. In October, Sisoulith visited North Korea for the 80th anniversary of the Workers' Party, where he held talks with Kim. The leaders discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation and expressed optimism about the future of their traditional friendship. North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui also held follow-up talks with her Lao counterpart Thongsavanh Phomvihane to discuss areas of mutual support. While maintaining ties with its traditional allies like China and Russia, North Korea has been expanding its diplomatic relations with other socialist countries such as Laos and Viet Nam. Analysts believe the move aims to reduce diplomatic isolation and challenge international sanctions over its nuclear weapons programs in pursuit of recognition as a nuclear-armed state. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-02 14:33:26

Korean auto parts firms follow global automakers to pull back from China SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - South Korean auto parts suppliers are taking steps to restructure their supply chains as global automakers scale back operations in China. The rapid shift toward electric vehicles (EVs) in the Chinese market and rising export costs triggered by tariffs are pushing companies to seek new manufacturing bases. According to industry officials, wheel-bearing producer A Corp. earlier this year relocated part of its Jiangsu, China, plant to Gyeongju in southeastern South Korea. Wheel bearings — critical components for EVs and increasingly for humanoid robots — are viewed as essential to next-generation mobility technologies. A Corp., which entered China in 2003, has supplied major global brands including Hyundai, Kia, GM, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and BYD. But orders plunged after the 2017 THAAD dispute and the rapid electrification of China’s auto market, prompting the company to sell half of its factories. “Orders from Hyundai, Kia and other global automakers have dropped sharply, and we’re now operating only two production lines,” an A Corp. official said. “Local Chinese suppliers have also become far more competitive.” Facing similar pressures, Korean components makers weighing downsizing or exiting China are increasingly targeting emerging markets such as Vietnam, Indonesia, India and Mexico. Key Hyundai suppliers — including Seoyon E-Hwa, Sungwoo Hitech and Daewon Industrial — are already shifting operations abroad. “As Hyundai struggles to keep pace with China’s electrification, its suppliers have lost competitiveness,” a parts industry insider said. “The move toward EVs, autonomous driving and smart vehicles is eroding the advantage Korean firms built around internal combustion engine technologies.” The withdrawal of global automakers from China is adding to the urgency. General Motors has instructed suppliers to reduce dependence on Chinese parts and materials, with some told to eliminate them entirely by 2027. Tesla is also aiming to remove Chinese components from U.S. production by the same year, urging suppliers to relocate to Vietnam or Mexico. Lim Yoon-ho, a researcher at the Korea International Trade Association, said the transition may open opportunities for Korean firms. “Despite China’s booming EV market, Korean suppliers have had limited participation,” he said. “Relocating production bases amid intensifying trade disputes could create new openings. Suppliers should explore new supply chains, move into future vehicle components and consider joint ventures or contract manufacturing.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-02 14:14:46

CJ CheilJedang strikes retail partnership with Thailand's largest store operator SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - CJ CheilJedang has signed a supply agreement with Thailand’s largest retailer, CP Extra. CP Extra operates more than 2,700 outlets under its Makro wholesale chain and Lotus supermarkets, providing CJ CheilJedang with broad access to Thailand’s mainstream retail channels. The partnership will target increased sales of Bibigo fried noodles, kimchi, dumplings, K-street foods and Korean-style sauces. Makro will handle bulk and B2B-oriented products, with the two companies planning joint marketing campaigns and promotional initiatives. CP Extra said it intends to leverage the growing brand recognition of Bibigo to reinforce its K-food category across both Makro and Lotus stores. The companies are also exploring opportunities to extend the collaboration to Malaysia, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian markets where CP Group has operations. “Southeast Asia, with its 690 million population and strong economic potential, is a key market for K-food expansion,” a CJ CheilJedang official said. “Thailand, with its high affinity for K-culture, serves as a strategic gateway to the region.” CJ CheilJedang’s overseas food revenue rose 77 percent from 3.15 trillion won in 2019 to 5.58 trillion won last year. In the first three quarters of this year, overseas sales reached 4.31 trillion won, representing more than half of total food revenue. * This article, published by Economic Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-02 13:50:11

Asian markets open mixed SEOUL, December 2 (AJP) - Asian markets opened mixed on Tuesday, with South Korea's benchmark KOSPI up 1 percent at 3,960.75 and the junior KOSDAQ down 0.8 percent at 915.37. Shares of Samsung Electronics rose 0.8 percent to 101,600 won (US$69), and SK hynix gained 2.7 percent to 552,500 won. Among the top 10 companies in terms of market capitalization, all were trading higher except for LG Energy Solution, which edged down 0.2 percent to 412,000 won. Automakers led the gains. Hyundai Motor jumped 4.4 percent to 267,500 won, and Kia added 2.7 percent to 115,300 won. Major U.S. stock indexes closed lower as comments from the Bank of Japan signaling a possible rate hike sparked concerns, weighing on equities. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.9 percent to 47,289.33, the S&P 500 slipped 0.5 percent to 6,812.63, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.4 percent to 23,275.92. Japan's Nikkei 225 climbed 0.4 percent to 49,513.34. In China, the Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.3 percent to 3,902.83 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.7 percent to 26,220.88. 2025-12-02 12:06:25

PHOTOS: Following the tracks, following the taste (Gwangju) – 1 – SEOUL, December 2 (AJP) - For centuries, this region has been known for its food. With fertile fields and access to clean coastal waters, it offered ingredients from both land and sea, and its generous use of fermented seasonings created dishes with depth and warmth. This is Jeolla Province, the southern end of the Korean Peninsula. Yongsan Station in the morning still carried the last of the night’s energy. Passing through commuters and stepping onto the KTX platform, the city felt as fast as ever, but the moment the train pulled away and the first fields replaced the gray skyline, the pace shifted. It felt as if the train was lowering itself into a slower time — not rushing forward, but easing into a different rhythm. The plan for the day was simple: get off at a station and, within walking distance, eat what locals have eaten for decades. No complicated routes, no long transfers — just a slow walk into someone else’s everyday life. Stepping out of Gwangju Songjeong Station, the first impression was quietness. Even right outside the station, the street was calm, and the alley leading to 1913 Songjeong Market was emptier than expected. It felt like a place where time had slowed as the years changed and the city around it shrank and shifted. Coming straight from the noise of Seoul, the contrast felt almost unreal — as if one train ride had moved time, not distance. – Bibim-guksu, vegetable pajeon, and the old taste of “sugar noodles” – Inside the market, old signs and small shops lined the narrow path, and soft music drifted out from somewhere deeper inside. The first meal was bibim-guksu. Handmade noodles had a firm, springy texture, and the tangy dressing pulled the flavors together cleanly. Freshly made vegetable pajeon was soft in the middle, and with the noodles it felt balanced rather than heavy. The walls filled with TV still-cuts and visitors’ notes made the simple dishes feel like part of the market’s long memory. Then came sugar noodles — something rarely seen now but once a common snack for market vendors and field hands in the 1960s and 1970s. Cold broth, plain noodles, and a sprinkle of sugar. Just sweetness and chill — nothing more. In years when even sugar was scarce, saccharin was used instead. The simplicity carried a kind of quiet nostalgia that felt tied to the place more than to the bowl. – A full Jeolla-style table with tteokgalbi – A short walk from the market led to an alley filled with the smell of charcoal. Here, tteokgalbi is served with a tableful of side dishes that feel closer to a home meal than a restaurant setting. A large bowl of pork backbone soup arrived first, alongside greens, aged kimchi, and pickled vegetables. It was a kind of generosity hard to replicate in the city. The tteokgalbi itself was thick, with a smoky bite that filled the mouth. Despite being minced, it still had the feel of chewing into whole meat, and the sauce struck a familiar sweet-savory balance. Wrapped in lettuce it felt clean, and over rice it turned into a different kind of richness. A small yukhoe bibimbap on the side was also satisfying — sweet pear, seasoned meat, and gochujang blending easily. The light broth in between made the meal steady and unhurried. – A Jeolla trip completed in one bite of sangchu twigim – For the final taste, the camera and the steps returned to the market: sangchu-twigim. A local favorite, and a bit unusual to outsiders. Various vegetables — sweet potato, squid, perilla shoots, seasonal roots — are fried and wrapped in fresh lettuce with soy or a peppered dipping sauce. One bite holds multiple textures at once, and the lettuce keeps the flavors bright. Sitting at the small table and taking a bite, the day already felt full — even though only a few hours had passed since stepping off the train. Walking back toward the station, the quietness returned. The market breathed slowly, in its own time. There was no rush, no noise, and in that space, the meaning of old food and local pace felt clearer than before. The day showed that a trip does not need distance to feel deep. A station, a market, and the flavors held inside their history — that was enough for a slow walk across an older time. 2025-12-02 07:16:35