KOSPI opens higher, briefly surpasses 4,600 mark SEOUL, January 8 (AJP) – The South Korean stock market opened higher on Thursday, with the benchmark KOSPI surpassing the 4,600 mark for the first time, as major chipmakers extended gains and retail investors poured into large-cap shares. About an hour after the market opened, the KOSPI soared 1.4 percent from the previous session to 4,615.70, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ slipped 0.1 percent to 946.46. Investors showed a clear divergence in early trade as retail investors bought a net 2.23 trillion won ($1.65 billion), while foreign and institutional investors sold roughly 0.15 trillion won and 2.71 trillion won. Among blue-chip stocks, Samsung Electronics slipped 0.7 percent to 140,000 won ($105) after hitting a fresh 52-week high of 144,400 won the previous day. However, it remains in a strong upward trend, rising roughly 176 percent from its previous low of 50,800 won in February last year and more than doubling over the past year. SK hynix rose 0.5 percent to 746,000 won ($561), recovering from early losses and hovering near its recent record high, as strong demand for high-bandwidth memory continued to support the stock. The outlook was further bolstered by comments from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who said demand for advanced memory remains overwhelming and highlighted close cooperation with suppliers on next-generation HBM4. Hana Securities said semiconductors are expected to account for roughly 47 percent of KOSPI's net profit over the next 12 months, led by strong earnings growth at Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, while the sector’s forward valuation remains relatively low despite the recent rally. Hyundai Motor fell 1.6 percent to 345,000 won ($259), giving back part of the previous session’s sharp gains, which had been driven by optimism over its AI and robotics strategy unveiled at this year's CES currently underway in Las Vegas. The drop was widely seen as profit-taking following the recent surge, rather than a change in the underlying outlook. Meanwhile, Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.7 percent to 51,577.20, while China's Shanghai Composite edged up 0.1 percent to 4,085.77. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index was largely flat in Hong Kong, with Hang Seng Bank steady at 153.80 HKD ($19.7), as investors took a cautious stance ahead of upcoming policy and earnings announcements. 2026-01-08 11:44:12

Countdown begins ahead of BTS' full-group comeback SEOUL, January 8 (AJP) - Since earlier this week, promotional displays for BTS' full-group comeback in late March have adorned the staircases of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts near Gwanghwamun in central Seoul. As one of the country's major cultural venues, hosting a wide range of performances and exhibitions, the center was an ideal place to promote the septet's return with a new album set for release on March 20, according to their management agency. The agency also plans to set up similar outdoor promotional installations and activities in major cities around the world including London, New York, and Tokyo. After completing their mandatory military service, the seven members of BTS will return after nearly four years of hiatus and embark on a large-scale world tour to promote their new album, which contains 14 tracks. 2026-01-08 11:07:33

South Korea among top markets for highest-grossing 'Avatar' franchise SEOUL, January 8 (AJP) - "Fire and Ash," the third installment in director James Cameron's epic "Avatar" franchise, dominated the South Korean box office during the holiday season, making the country one of the film's top five global markets. According to Box Office Mojo, an American-operated website that tracks box-office revenues, South Korea ranked among the global top five markets for the CGI-heavy spectacular, earning US$44.12 million, just behind North America ($311.33 million), China ($137.92 million), France ($82.16 million), and Germany ($64.09 million). The second installment, "Avatar: The Way of Water," was also a box-office hit when it was released here in 2022, drawing a record 10.8 million viewers. The latest installment of the highest-grossing series departs from its previous serene setting of fictional planet Pandora to explore a fiery, ash-covered world, encountering new tribes along the way. 2026-01-08 10:40:49

Energy projects drive Hyundai E&C to record-breaking orders in 2025 SEOUL, January 08 (AJP) - Hyundai Engineering & Construction said on Thursday it secured 25.5 trillion won ($17.6 billion) in new orders last year, up 39 percent from 2024 and the highest annual total in the company’s history. Hyundai E&C said it was the first South Korean builder to surpass 25 trillion won in annual orders, attributing the performance to a strategic shift beyond traditional construction into energy-transition projects. At a “CEO Investor Day” in March last year, Hyundai Engineering & Construction set out a vision to become an “energy transition leader” and set a target of at least 25 trillion won in annual orders by 2030 — a goal it reached in less than a year. Energy-related projects accounted for much of the growth, the company said. Major wins included a basic design contract for four large nuclear reactors with Fermi America, an early works agreement for a new nuclear plant in Finland, a solar power project in Texas and the Sinan Ui offshore wind project. The company said it expanded its order base by securing low-carbon and energy-transition projects in advanced markets such as the United States and Europe. The company also said it broadened its value chain beyond power generation into transmission and consumption, citing a Saudi Arabia transmission line project and data center contracts in the Seoul metropolitan area. Technical capability and long-standing trust also supported orders, the company said, pointing to an Iraq seawater supply facilities project backed by more than four decades of experience in state-led infrastructure projects. "We plan to build on the momentum this year by focusing on established energy businesses such as nuclear power and renewables, while increasing the share of overseas orders," a Hyundai E&C spokesman said. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-08 10:27:21

South Korea's finance chief warns won's volatility remains high, vows swift action SEOUL, January 08 (AJP) - South Korea’s deputy prime minister and finance minister Koo Yun-cheol said on Thursday that volatility in the foreign exchange market “remains high," pledging swift follow-up measures to stabilize overall conditions. Koo made the remarks at a policy coordination meeting attended by Bank of Korea Governor Lee Chang-yong, Financial Supervisory Service Governor Lee Chan-jin and Financial Services Commission Vice Chairman Kwon Dae-young. He said the current exchange rate appeared to be diverging from economic fundamentals and stressed the need for authorities to maintain “firm and consistent” policy responses. Koo said equity and financial markets have remained buoyant, citing foreign investor inflows, while government bond yields have stayed stable, leaving overall market conditions “generally stable.” However, he warned that downside risks persist in global markets, pointing to geopolitical uncertainty and shifts in monetary policy by major economies. Authorities will maintain a 24-hour market monitoring system and closely track external developments, he said. Koo also said the government would step up so-called productive finance to channel funding toward advanced industries as well as venture and startup firms. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-08 10:03:35

ChatGPT most downloaded app in South Korea last year SEOUL, January 8 (AJP) - ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, was the most downloaded new app in South Korea last year, big data analytics firm IGAWorks said on Thursday. ChatGPT led all apps with an average of 16.57 million new monthly downloads, followed by the state-run gift voucher app Digital Onnuri at 12.81 million, Chinese shopping platform Temu at 11.52 million, and the country's largest portal Naver's shopping platform at 10.20 million. When it comes to the number of users, U.S. streaming giant YouTube took the top spot with some 51.71 million monthly active users last year, followed by messaging app Kakao Talk at 46.35 million, Naver at 44.94 million, and Google at 41.28 million. 2026-01-08 09:43:00

Prosecutors seek arrest warrant for MBK Partners' chairman over Homeplus fraud SEOUL, January 8 (AJP) - Prosecutors have sought an arrest warrant for Kim Byung-ju, the chairman of private equity firm MBK Partners, along with three other executives over supermarket chain Homeplus' abrupt filing for court receivership. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors requested the warrants for them late Wednesday night on charges of fraud and other alleged violations of relevant laws. MBK Partners, which acquired a 100 percent stake in Homeplus from British grocery chain Tesco Plc in 2015, later became financially strapped, leading it to request court-led rehabilitation in March last year. Prosecutors believe that MBK executives knew in advance that Homeplus' credit rating would be downgraded in February last year. Despite being aware of this, they issued large-scale asset-backed short-term bonds worth 82 billion Korean won (US$56.6 million) without disclosing the impending downgrade and filed for court-led corporate rehabilitation just a few days later. 2026-01-08 09:11:19

[[CES 2026]] Hyundai Mobis deepens future mobility push with Boston Dynamics, Qualcomm ties LAS VEGAS, January 08 (AJP) - South Korea's Hyundai Mobis has announced a series of strategic partnerships at CES 2026 in Las Vegas aimed at expanding its role in future mobility, including a robotics supply deal with Boston Dynamics and a technology cooperation agreement with Qualcomm. As part of Hyundai Motor Group’s push to build an artificial-intelligence-driven robotics ecosystem, Hyundai Mobis said it has established a cooperation framework with Boston Dynamics and will supply actuators when the next-generation humanoid robot Atlas enters mass production. The move marks Hyundai Mobis’s first customer in its newly launched robotics business and signals its formal entry into the global market for robot components. Hyundai Motor Group said in August last year that it plans to build a new robot factory in North America. Hyundai Mobis said it expects to play a key role in strengthening the group’s robotics competitiveness by leveraging its experience in large-scale manufacturing. In recent years, Hyundai Mobis has sought to expand beyond its core auto parts business into higher value-added areas such as robotics and software-defined vehicles (SDVs), part of a mid- to long-term strategy to respond to rapid changes in future mobility and ensure sustainable growth. The company said it will initially focus on the robot actuator segment, drawing on its vehicle parts design expertise and mass-production capabilities. Actuators are core drive components that execute movement based on controller signals and account for about 60 percent of the material cost of a humanoid robot. Global research firms estimate the robotics market at around 75 trillion won and forecast annual growth of about 17 percent, with the market projected to reach roughly 800 trillion won by 2040. Separately, Hyundai Mobis said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Qualcomm to cooperate across a broad range of technologies, including SDVs and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). The two companies will accelerate development of a scalable software platform and work toward an integrated SDV solution with improved performance, efficiency and system stability. They will also jointly develop technologies optimized for autonomous driving and autonomous parking, targeting demand in emerging markets such as India, where adoption of ADAS is accelerating as vehicle lineups expand beyond small cars. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-08 09:08:08

South Korea urged to diversify strategic mineral sourcing amid China risks SEOUL, January 08 (AJP) - China’s curbs on exports of strategic minerals, including rare earths, are intensifying calls for South Korea to accelerate efforts to stabilize its supply chain, with business and academic circles urging the government to diversify sourcing and offer stronger incentives for refining and processing. South Korea’s government-led drive to secure strategic minerals has largely stalled for more than a decade. While trading houses and materials companies have periodically sought supplies outside China, officials said policy support has remained fragmented and insufficient. Industry officials contrasted South Korea’s approach with Japan, which suffered widespread industrial disruption after China restricted rare earth exports during a dispute over the Senkaku Islands. Since then, Japan has spent more than a decade expanding supply chains through long-term investments in Southeast Asia, South America and Africa, maintaining continuity regardless of changes in government. In October last year, Japan launched a critical minerals and rare earth supply-chain framework with the United States and Australia aimed at reducing dependence on China. Tokyo has also increased research and development spending on alternative materials to replace China-sourced rare earths used in wind turbines, electric-vehicle motors and batteries. Japanese automakers, including Honda and Toyota, have reported progress from those efforts since last year. The United States, which the report said has faced what it describes as China’s weaponization of strategic minerals since early last year, is also moving more quickly to cut reliance on China. Measures include restarting domestic graphite mining for the first time in 70 years. U.S.-based Titan Mining plans to produce 40,000 tons of graphite a year — roughly half of U.S. demand — with commercial sales targeted for 2028. The company’s expansion is backed by subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act and direct federal support, the report said. Chief Executive Rita Adiani said China could no longer be regarded as a reliable supply-chain partner, adding Titan would supply “a significant portion” of U.S. needs. In South Korea, experts said the government should move faster to diversify strategic-mineral supply chains. Kang Cheon-gu, a visiting professor at Inha University’s Graduate School of Manufacturing Innovation, said state-level efforts were needed to expand sourcing from rare earth-producing countries outside China, including Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. He also called for tariff exemptions on imports from those countries and long-term investment to secure overseas mines. Business groups are also urging broader government support for companies that help stabilize strategic-mineral supply chains, citing policies adopted in the United States and Japan. They argue South Korea should make more active use of the National Growth Fund, including direct investment and indirect support such as tax incentives for companies including Korea Zinc and Posco Future M. Korea Zinc, backed by large-scale U.S. government investment, has decided to build a smelter in the United States to produce 11 strategic minerals — including antimony, indium, gallium, germanium and bismuth — sectors long dominated by China. Posco Future M said it will invest in Saemangeum to build a plant capable of producing 37,000 tons of spherical graphite a year, with completion targeted for the third quarter of next year. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-08 08:57:23

Samsung Elec estimates best-ever income $14 bn for Q4 and $30 bn for full 2025 SEOUL, January 08 (AJP) -Samsung Electronics reported record 20 trillion won ($14 billion) in operating profit for the quarter ended December and 43.5 trillion won for full-year 2025 — driven by the so-called “hyper bull” cycle in memory chips amid widening artificial intelligence adoption. In its earnings guidance released Thursday, the South Korean tech giant said it is estimated to have raked in 20 trillion won in operating profit for the October–December period, up 208 percent from a year earlier and above the market consensus of 19.6 trillion won compiled by FnGuide. Revenue amounted to 93 trillion won, up 22.7 percent from a year ago and also a record three-month figure. For the full year, operating profit reached 43.53 trillion won, while revenue totaled 332.8 trillion won, up 33 percent and 10.6 percent, respectively. The company, whose business spans chips, smartphones and consumer electronics, will release detailed figures for each division in its finalized earnings report on Jan. 29. Investment banks estimate that the chip division generated about 17 trillion won in operating profit in the fourth quarter, reflecting gains of 36 percent and 15 percent in average selling prices for DRAM and NAND products, respectively, from the previous three-month period. According to market tracker TrendForce, mass-market DRAM prices jumped 45 to 50 percent in the final quarter of 2025, while average DRAM prices — including high-bandwidth memory — rose 50 to 55 percent. NAND flash memory prices increased 33 to 38 percent. 2026-01-08 07:52:31