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  • NCT 127 to showcase new title track at comeback event next week
    NCT 127 to showcase new title track at comeback event next week SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - K-pop boy group NCT 127 will showcase their new title track at a comeback event, SM Entertainment said on Wednesday. The group will host "NCT 127 THE 7TH ALBUM COMEBACK LIVE PARTY" at KINTEX in Ilsan, northwest of Seoul next week. The event slated for Aug. 25 comes a day after the release of the group's seventh full-length album, "BLINGY." The title track, "Blingy," is a hip-hop song built around distorted synth sounds, heavy drum beats and a chanting chorus. SM Entertainment said the song also draws on rage and dubstep elements. The choreography includes hard-hitting hip-hop movements, changes in pace and a repeated hand gesture. Member Taeyong took part in creating the choreography, according to SM. The nine-track album will be released on global music platforms at 6 p.m. on Aug. 24. AJP Takeaways · NCT 127 will premiere the performance of its new title track at a comeback event on Aug. 25. · The event will be held at KINTEX Exhibition Center 2 in Ilsan. · The seventh full-length album, "BLINGY," will be released on Aug. 24. · The title track, "Blingy," is a hip-hop song with distorted synths, heavy drum beats and a chanting 2026-08-19 18:02:50
  • K-pop girl group i-dles Soyeon to release new solo album this fall
    K-pop girl group i-dle's Soyeon to release new solo album this fall SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - Soyeon of K-pop girl group i-dle will return as a solo artist in September, Cube Entertainment said on Wednesday. The release will mark her first solo project in five years and two months since her debut mini album, "Windy," in July 2021. Soyeon is the leader of i-dle and has played a central role in the group's self-produced music. She has written and produced several of the group's major hits including "TOMBOY," "Nxde," "Queencard" and "Fate." In 2024, she was promoted to full membership in the Korea Music Copyright Association. This year, i-dle was named to Forbes Asia's "30 Under 30" list. Soyeon has also worked under the producer name icebluerabbit, including on i-dle's January digital single "Mono," featuring skaiwater. She previewed the solo track "ICE BLUE RABBIT" during i-dle's 2026 world tour, "Syncopation." Cube said Soyeon has collaborated with overseas artists including Odetari and Anderson .Paak. Ahead of the comeback, Soyeon performed on EBS music program "Space Gonggam" on Tuesday. She is scheduled to perform at Waterbomb Sokcho 2026 on Saturday. AJP Takeaways · Soyeon of i-dle will return as a solo artist in early September. · It will be her first solo project in five years and two months since "Windy" in July 2021. · Soyeon has written and produced i-dle hits including "TOMBOY," "Nxde," "Queencard" and "Fate." · She also works under the producer name icebluerabbit. 2026-08-19 18:00:25
  • TSMCs Stock-Based Compensation Model vs. Cash Preferences in South Koreas Semiconductor Industry
    TSMC's Stock-Based Compensation Model vs. Cash Preferences in South Korea's Semiconductor Industry As SK Hynix's labor and management face last-minute struggles over stock-based performance bonuses, the preference for cash compensation in South Korea is seen as a key factor weakening the semiconductor industry's competitiveness. Concerns are growing that the massive profits, amounting to trillions of won, are being consumed as short-term cash expenses, undermining talent retention and future research and development (R&D) and capital investment capabilities.According to industry sources, TSMC has significantly expanded its stock-based compensation program for employees since 2022. This initiative aims to prevent the departure of key engineers amid fierce global competition for talent and to align the interests of the state, corporations, and individuals.TSMC operates an employee stock purchase program (ESPP) that supports 15% of the purchase price when employees buy company shares. Additionally, it offers restricted stock awards (RSA) to high performers, which are granted without charge but come with restrictions on selling for a certain period.The stock-based compensation strategy has proven effective in reducing employee turnover. According to TSMC's sustainability report, the voluntary turnover rate for employees dropped from 6.8% in 2021 to 3.7% in 2023, following the implementation of stock rewards. The turnover rate for new hires within their first year also plummeted from 17.6% to 8.9% during the same period. Over 70% of employees are participating in the stock purchase program, effectively defending against attempts by competitors to poach talent.Global tech giants are also leveraging stock compensation as a key strategy for talent retention and growth. Nvidia, in particular, has expanded restricted stock units (RSUs) to include all employees, not just executives and high performers. The significant rise in the value of shares granted upon hiring has provided strong motivation for long-term retention of key personnel.A report from U.S. consulting firm Semler Brossy indicates that 95% of S&P 500 companies implemented performance-based stock unit (PSU) compensation as a long-term incentive last year, marking a rapid shift toward stock-based compensation compared to 76% in 2012.In contrast, the South Korean semiconductor industry has a strong demand for cash-based compensation. Given the scale of performance bonuses, which can range from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of won, there is a greater incentive to secure immediate liquidity rather than future stock value. Recently, during negotiations between SK Hynix's labor and management, the company proposed stock-based performance bonuses, but faced pushback from the union, which insisted on cash payments.Samsung Electronics reached an agreement in May to pay its special management performance bonuses in full with company stock in its semiconductor (DS) division, but some employees remain skeptical. Concerns about stock price volatility and a prevailing preference for immediate cash persist, along with resistance to management's approach of tying employees to the company as long-term partners through stock compensation.However, industry experts warn that a cash-centric compensation model could impose significant financial burdens on companies. If substantial liquidity secured during prosperous times is drained as performance bonuses, it could deplete essential resources needed for R&D and capital investment during downturns. Lee Jong-hwan, a professor at Sangmyung University’s Department of System Semiconductor Engineering, stated, "If cash is excessively drained during prosperous times, companies will lack the resilience to withstand downturns. A cash-focused compensation structure diminishes financial flexibility in the highly volatile semiconductor market and ultimately weakens the survival foundation for both labor and management."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 18:00:20
  • The Need to Reassess Big Box Store Regulations in the E-Commerce Era
    The Need to Reassess Big Box Store Regulations in the E-Commerce Era In an age where fresh produce can be delivered to your doorstep by morning with just a few taps on a smartphone, many big box stores in our neighborhoods close their doors twice a month, adhering to regulations established in 2012 aimed at revitalizing local businesses and traditional markets.Misdiagnosing a problem often leads to ineffective solutions. At that time, the government and political circles identified big box stores as a major cause of the decline of small businesses and traditional markets, imposing legal restrictions on their operating hours and mandatory closures. Now, 14 years later, has the local economy truly revived? The results have fallen short of expectations.Recent empirical studies raise questions about whether the regulations on big box stores have genuinely benefited local businesses. These stores have not only been competitors to nearby small businesses but have also served as 'anchor stores' that attract foot traffic. According to a 2024 report from the Bank of Korea, sales in commercial areas within a 2-kilometer radius of closed big box stores in Seoul decreased by an average of 5.3%. In contrast, cities like Daegu and Cheongju, which shifted mandatory closure days from weekends to weekdays, saw an increase in sales for restaurants and convenience stores near big box stores. This indicates that visitors to big box stores often spend additional money at nearby retail and dining establishments.A more significant issue is the fundamental shift in the retail environment. In 2012, big box stores may have been seen as the strongest competitors to local businesses. However, today, e-commerce platforms like Coupang are transforming consumer habits with 24-hour ordering and early morning delivery. In an era where more than half of retail sales occur online, maintaining restrictions on offline big box stores lacks persuasive justification from a regulatory equity standpoint. Moreover, the inconvenience of not being able to shop on weekends falls squarely on consumers, especially as dual-income households and single-person households become more common.Retail regulations abroad are also evolving. Japan has abolished its Large-Scale Retail Store Law, which was aimed at protecting small retailers, and is transitioning to a new regulatory framework focused on living environments and site adjustments. France has similarly relaxed entry regulations for large stores and eased restrictions on Sunday and nighttime operations through the Macron Law. Many countries are moving towards loosening or redesigning regulations on large retailers to adapt to changing consumer environments.Of course, discussions about regulating big box store operations must not overlook workers' rights to rest and health. However, protecting workers is more rationally achieved through labor law measures such as managing working hours, implementing shift systems, and ensuring holiday guarantees, rather than through a blanket approach that closes entire stores. The justifications for protecting traditional markets and workers must be redesigned to align with the transformed retail landscape.It is encouraging that discussions in political circles have begun regarding the relaxation of regulations, such as allowing online deliveries on mandatory closure days. However, partial measures that only permit online deliveries are insufficient. It is time to fundamentally reassess whether the restrictions on operating hours and mandatory closures are still valid today.We must move beyond the outdated dichotomy of 'big box stores versus traditional markets.' While big box stores have been positioned as the antithesis of traditional markets, the real threat to local economies has been the rapid encroachment of large online ecosystems. Today's competitive landscape is not merely a battle between big box stores and traditional markets; it is a competition between online platforms and the entire offline retail sector.In the e-commerce era, protecting offline retail does not mean mechanically maintaining regulations. We need to expand autonomy based on local conditions and collaboratively explore specific coexistence models, such as joint marketing, linked events, and the promotion of local specialties between big box stores and traditional markets. We should not judge today's retail environment by the outdated standards of 14 years ago. To genuinely revitalize local economies, the long-standing regulations on mandatory closures for big box stores must be thoroughly reexamined.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 18:00:20
  • Weather Forecast: Showers Expected Nationwide Amid Late Summer Heat, Seoul to Reach 33 Degrees
    Weather Forecast: Showers Expected Nationwide Amid Late Summer Heat, Seoul to Reach 33 Degrees On Thursday, August 20, scattered showers are expected across southern Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and southern regions of South Korea, with perceived temperatures rising to around 33 degrees Celsius. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the morning will see cloudy skies in the capital region and Gangwon, while the rest of the country will be generally overcast. Showers are likely in southern Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and southern areas. Jeju Island is forecasted to receive between 10 to 40 millimeters of rain from early morning to the afternoon. Expected rainfall amounts are 5 to 40 millimeters in southern Gyeonggi and North Chungcheong, 5 to 60 millimeters in Daegu, North Gyeongsang, Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang, and 5 to 40 millimeters in Sejong, South Chungcheong, and North Chungcheong, with similar levels in North Jeolla and Gwangju, and South Jeolla. The weather agency has advised caution due to potential gusts, thunder, and lightning accompanying the showers, and warned of the risk of landslides in areas where the ground has been weakened by heavy rain. Morning low temperatures nationwide are expected to range from 21 to 26 degrees Celsius, with daytime highs between 28 and 34 degrees. In Seoul, the morning temperature will be around 24 degrees, rising to 33 degrees in the afternoon. Other cities like Daejeon will see highs of 32 degrees, while Busan will reach 32 degrees and Daegu and Gwangju will hit 33 degrees. Meanwhile, fine dust levels are expected to be at 'good' or 'moderate' levels across the country. Sea waves off Jeju are forecasted to reach heights of up to 3 meters.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 17:56:00
  • Won closes below 1,400 against greenback for 1st time in 11 months
    Won closes below 1,400 against greenback for 1st time in 11 months SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - The South Korean won closed daytime trading below 1,400 per dollar for the first time in nearly 11 months on Wednesday, while government bond yields fell as a sharp stock selloff boosted demand for safer assets. The won strengthened 14.1 won from the previous session to close at 1,397.7 per dollar, compared with Tuesday's close of 1,411.8. It marked the first daytime close below 1,400 since Sept. 29, 2025, when the currency ended at 1,398.7. Exporter dollar selling and broader weakness in the U.S. currency supported the won despite heavy foreign selling in Korean equities. The KOSPI plunged 5.8 percent to 6,471.17 as technology shares came under heavy selling pressure, with the decline triggering a program-trading sidecar during the session. The South Korean government bonds also strengthened, with the three-year yield falling 4.9 basis points to 3.798 percent and the 10-year yield declining 4.5 basis points to 4.337 percent. The bond rally began after U.S. Treasury yields eased overnight, while the steep decline in Korean stocks added to demand for government debt. Gains extended in the afternoon after the Korea Development Institute raised its 2026 growth forecast to 3.2 percent from 2.5 percent, as the revision came in below levels some bond investors had braced for. Foreign investors also supported the short end of the market, buying more than 7,000 three-year government bond futures by early afternoon even as they remained net sellers of 10-year futures. Wednesday's decline partly reversed the previous session's bond selloff, when the three-year yield rose 5.1 basis points to 3.847 percent and the 10-year yield climbed 6.9 basis points to 4.382 percent. 2026-08-19 17:50:39
  • SK hynix unveils record 40 trillion won buyback plan for shareholder return
    SK hynix unveils record 40 trillion won buyback plan for shareholder return SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - SK hynix will buy back and cancel 40 trillion won (US$28.6 billion) worth of its own shares, the largest such move by a South Korean listed company. The chipmaker said Wednesday that its board approved the purchase of about 24.07 million common shares or roughly 3.3 percent of its 730.49 million outstanding shares. The buyback will begin Thursday and run through Nov. 19, with the shares purchased on the open market. SK Securities will handle the transactions, according to the Financial Supervisory Service. The estimated number of shares is based on Tuesday's closing price of 1.662 million won. The actual number could change depending on the stock price during the three-month buyback period. Once the buyback is completed, all the shares purchased will be canceled. This will reduce the number of outstanding shares but will not change the company's stated capital, as the shares will be bought using profits available for dividends. The buyback comes earlier than planned under the chipmaker's three-year shareholder return policy announced in November 2024. Under the plan, it aims to return up to 50 percent of free cash flow generated from 2025 to 2027 to shareholders, with the option to make earlier payouts if cash flow increases significantly. SK hynix has now raised the target to at least 50 percent of its cumulative free cash flow over the same period, with the money returned to shareholders through share buybacks, cancellations and cash dividends. The decision comes as the chipmaker makes progress toward its financial goals, as it believes its strong business, cash-generating ability and long-term growth potential are not fully reflected in its current share price. SK hynix is also considering higher dividends through its regular and special dividend programs. Any increase will depend on its financial and market conditions, with details to be announced alongside its third-quarter earnings results. But its shares closed 9.75 percent lower at 1.5 million won later in the day, down 162,000 won from the previous session. AJP Takeaways • SK hynix announced on Aug. 19, 2026, that it will buy back and cancel 40 trillion won ($28.6 billion) worth of its own shares, the largest such move by a South Korean listed company. • SK hynix plans to purchase an estimated 24.07 million shares, or about 3.3 percent of its outstanding stock, on the open market from Aug. 20 through Nov. 19, 2026. • SK hynix plans to cancel all shares acquired under the 40 trillion won program and is considering additional shareholder returns, including higher dividends. 2026-08-19 17:42:02
  • Kazakhstan gives month to prepare Chinese waste plant deals
    Kazakhstan gives month to prepare Chinese waste plant deals SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - Kazakhstan has given itself a month to prepare agreements for a new set of Chinese-built waste-to-energy plants, the government said Wednesday, extending a program that has yet to put a single incinerator into operation anywhere in the country. Three plants are already under construction, in Astana, Almaty and Shymkent, at a combined cost of 293.3 billion tenge ($637.4 million). Together they are designed to burn 4,500 tons of municipal waste a day and generate 134 megawatts of electricity. None is finished, and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources said this month that Kazakhstan has no operating incineration plants at all. The instruction came out of a meeting between Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Dai Daoguo, chairman of the board at Hunan Junxin Environmental Protection, the Chinese company building the Almaty plant. Bektenov told the ministry and other state bodies to examine all aspects of further cooperation with the company as a matter of urgency, and to prepare agreements for signing within a month covering plants in a number of major cities, according to the statement from the prime minister's press service. Work on the Almaty project began in May under an investment agreement signed with the ministry last August. The government put the investment at 145 billion tenge. Dai said the site was preparing to start construction and installation work. Once running, the plant is designed to process up to 2,000 tons of waste a day and generate up to 60 megawatts of electricity. The company expects it to cut carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 200,000 tons a year and to save around 800,000 cubic meters of landfill space annually. At least 700 jobs are planned during construction, and 120 permanent positions once the plant starts operating. Commissioning is due within two years of the May start. Waste-to-energy plants burn household rubbish and use the heat to drive turbines, cutting the volume that goes into landfill while producing power. Under Kazakhstan's Ecological Code, adopted in 2021, waste can be burned only after recyclable material has been pulled out of the stream. The ministry estimates that five to 10 percent of the original volume survives the furnace as ash and residue, which still has to be buried, leaving landfills in the system with a narrower role. Bektenov said at the meeting that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pays particular attention to environmental responsibility, and that the new Constitution, which took effect July 1 after a March referendum, makes environmental protection one of the founding principles of state policy and civic responsibility. It was the second such deadline in five weeks. On July 16, Bektenov instructed the same ministry to finish talks with China Tianying Inc. and submit an investment agreement within two weeks for waste plants in at least three major cities. The government has not said which cities either company would build in. Electricity from waste-to-energy plants qualifies for a feed-in tariff of up to 55 tenge per kilowatt-hour, and the projects are carried out through investment agreements with the state. Hunan Junxin has described larger ambitions in Kazakhstan than incineration. In talks with the state investment promotion company Kazakh Invest in July last year, Dai put the company's plan at $600 million across three plants and said it would extend to data centers running on the power those plants generate, training facilities and automated waste management systems. The company built Central Asia's first waste-to-energy plant, which opened at Bishkek's main landfill in December last year. It started a second phase there in June, designed to add up to 2,000 tons a day and 60 megawatts, and is building another plant in Osh, Kyrgyzstan's second largest city. The government is working on waste plants in Karaganda, Atyrau, Aktobe, Pavlodar and other cities. 2026-08-19 17:30:42
  • People Power Party Holds Meeting with New Home Pre-Subscription Victims
    People Power Party Holds Meeting with New Home Pre-Subscription Victims 국민의힘은 19일 뉴홈 사전청약 당첨자 대출 조건 변경 논란과 관련해 정부의 부동산 정책에 대한 공세를 이어갔다. 특히 정부 정책의 신뢰성이 무너졌다고 비판하며 대책 마련을 촉구했다. 국회 국토교통위원회 소속 국민의힘 의원들은 이날 국회에서 '뉴홈 피해자·입주예정자 간담회'를 열었다. '뉴홈'은 공공 분양주택으로, 최근 본 청약을 앞두고 사전청약 당시 제시했던 우대금리 등의 대출 지원이 변동되면서 입주 예정자들의 반발을 사고 있다. 국토위원장인 유의동 의원은 "정부가 제시한 조건을 믿고 청약을 했고, 그에 맞춰서 오랜 시간 내 집 마련의 계획을 세워 왔는데 본 청약에 와서 사전청약 당시 제시됐던 저금리 고정금리와 40년 만기라는 핵심 조건이 달라졌다"고 지적했다. 이어 "정부는 조건이 달라질 수 있다고 공고문에 안내했다고 하지만, 그 한 줄로 핵심 조건까지 다 바꿀 수 있다면 사전청약이라는 제도를 국민들께서 어떻게 믿고 따를 수 있겠느냐"며 "정권이 바뀔 수는 있지만 정부의 정책을 믿고 선택한 국민에게 그 부담을 떠넘겨선 안 된다는 생각"이라고 강조했다. 정희용 의원도 "정권이 바뀌었다는 이유로 억울하게 피해를 보는 일이 발생하게 된다면 앞으로 누가 정부를 믿고 정책을 따를 수 있겠느냐"며 "현실적인 부담과 피해 사례를 충분히 듣고, 사업 추진 과정에서 발생한 제도적 행정적 맹점에 대해서 철저히 살펴보겠다"고 했다. 국토위 야당 간사인 정동만 의원은 "이 사태의 핵심은 약속된 고정금리"라며 "디딤돌 대출보다 0.25% 우대해 주는 것이지, 특정 고정금리를 반드시 지켜야 한다는 것이 아니었다고 말하는 국토부 변명은 피해자를 두 번 우롱하는 것"이라고 꼬집었다. 손은정 뉴홈 비상대책위원은 "저희는 없던 조건을 새로 만들어 달라는 게 아니라 국토부가 직접 쓰고 배포한 공고문에 적힌 대로 지켜달라는 것"이라며 "2023년 신혼희망타운 금리 논란 때도 똑같은 문제가 있었지만, 당시 정부는 기존 청약자에게 청약 시점 기준의 조건을 적용해 신뢰를 지켰다"고 말했다. 이어 "그런데 이번 국토부 장관은 국토위 업무보고에서 고정금리를 공고한 적이 없다는 취지로 답변했다"며 "똑같이 청약 시점에 고지를 믿고 계약한 국민인데 왜 다른 원칙을 적용하느냐"고 목소리 높였다. 그러면서 "지금 이재명 대통령은 지분 적립형 주택을 추진하고 있다. 또 한 번 정부를 믿고 청약하라는 정책"이라며 "지금 뉴홈에서 벌어지는 일을 본 국민이 그 말을 믿을 수 있겠나. 정권이 바뀌어도 안전한 것이냐"고 덧붙였다. 앞서 장동혁 대표를 비롯한 당 부동산정책 정상화 특별위원회는 지난 13일 경기 고양시 창릉지구 뉴홈 공사 현장을 찾은 바 있다. 장 대표는 "사실상 정권이 대국민 사기 분양을 벌인 것"이라고 비판했다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 17:28:00
  • K-pop Group RESCENE and Fans Raise Funds for Geoje Flood Recovery
    K-pop Group RESCENE and Fans Raise Funds for Geoje Flood Recovery 거제시 홍보대사로 활동 중인 걸그룹 리센느(RESCENE)와 팬덤 '리마인(RE:MINE)'이 최근 집중호우로 큰 피해를 입은 거제 지역을 위해 팔을 걷어붙였다. 아티스트와 팬덤, 광고주까지 합심해 총 1억 원에 달하는 성금을 모으며 훈훈함을 자아내고 있다. 19일 가요계에 따르면 리센느는 수해 복구와 이웃 돕기를 위해 5000만 원을 쾌척했다. 거제시는 멤버 원이의 고향으로 앞서 원이의 유튜브 채널에서 멤버 미나미가 외친 "거제 야호"라는 밈(유행어)이 화제를 모은 바 있다. 이를 계기로 거제시 홍보대사로 위촉된 리센느는 최근 지역에 뜻하지 않은 폭우 피해가 발생하자 무거운 마음을 안고 복구에 힘을 보탠 것으로 전해졌다. 아티스트의 뜻깊은 행보에 팬덤도 즉각 화답했다. 리센느의 팬덤 '리마인'은 지난 18일 희망브리지 전국재해구호협회에 '2026 수해 이웃돕기(리마인)' 전용 모금 페이지를 개설했다. 멤버의 고향을 돕자는 취지에 공감한 팬들은 커뮤니티에 기부를 인증하며 동참을 독려했고 모금 시작 하루 만인 19일 오전 9시 기준 4034만 8357원이 모였다. 여기에 리센느를 광고 모델로 기용한 기업 역시 피해 복구에 써달라며 1000만 원을 쾌척해 나눔의 의미를 더했다. 거제 지역은 지난 15일부터 17일까지 3일간 누적 강수량 928.0㎜라는 기록적인 폭우가 쏟아져 심각한 수해를 입었다. 이번에 모인 성금은 수재민들의 빠른 일상 회복과 지역 피해 복구를 위해 쓰일 예정이다. 한편 2024년 3월 데뷔한 5인조 걸그룹 리센느는 최근 '거제 야호' 밈의 대히트와 함께 과거 발표곡 '러브 어택(Love Attack)'이 역주행으로 음원차트 1위를 차지하는 등 뜨거운 사랑을 받으며 '대세 걸그룹'으로 자리매김하고 있다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 17:28:00