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Venture Investment Reaches Record 8.9 Trillion Won in First Half of 2026 In the first half of 2026, domestic venture investments approached 8.9 trillion won, marking the highest level ever recorded for this period. Analysts attribute this surge to significant investments in deep tech sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and robotics, indicating a robust recovery in the venture investment market.The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced these findings on August 19, detailing the trends in new venture investments and fund formations for the first half of 2026.From January to June, new venture investments totaled 8.8676 trillion won, a 54.3% increase compared to the same period last year. This figure also exceeds the levels seen during the venture investment boom in the first half of 2022, setting a new record. The amount raised for new venture funds also rose by 33.0% to 8.4366 trillion won, the second-highest figure for any first half.By type of investor, policy finance grew by 58.3%, while the private sector increased by 28.1%. In the private sector, contributions from financial institutions surged by 54.9% to 2.6061 trillion won, driving the growth.In terms of industry, investments in information and communication technology (ICT) services accounted for 1.86 trillion won, or 21.0% of the total, reflecting an expansion in AI-related technologies. This was followed by investments in electrical, mechanical, and equipment sectors at 1.5359 trillion won (17.3%) and in the bio and medical sectors at 1.5041 trillion won (17.0%).Compared to the first half of last year, investments in ICT manufacturing increased by 143.3%, while investments in electrical, mechanical, and equipment sectors and ICT services rose by 90.4% and 62.2%, respectively. Large investments exceeding 1 billion won in the semiconductor and robotics sectors, including AI semiconductors, memory chips, and humanoids, have significantly contributed to the overall investment performance.Investments increased across both new and established companies, with both those under seven years and those over seven years seeing growth in investment amounts and the number of companies funded. Notably, investments in early-stage companies within three years of establishment rose by 56.4%, driven by deep tech startups in AI, semiconductors, and robotics securing investments of over 100 million won.Regionally, venture investments in the capital area reached 3.0972 trillion won, a 49.9% increase from the first half of last year, while non-capital areas saw investments of 1.0647 trillion won, up 104.7%. Daejeon recorded the largest investment in non-capital regions at 435.9 billion won, bolstered by significant investments in key new industries such as life sciences and aerospace.Kim Bong-deok, the venture policy director at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, stated, "The substantial increase in both venture investments and fund formations in the first half of this year indicates that the domestic venture investment market has entered a phase of significant growth." He added, "We will strengthen the role of the mother fund as a catalyst for venture capital expansion, ensuring that policy support, including tax incentives, is implemented effectively in collaboration with relevant ministries to promote job creation for youth and invigorate the local economy." 2026-08-19 11:00:00 -
LG shifts board leadership to independent directors ahead of tighter ESG rules SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - LG Group has shifted the chairmanship of the boards at 11 major listed affiliates to independent directors, stepping up corporate governance changes as South Korea moves toward mandatory environmental, social and governance disclosures. LG Corp., the group's holding company, said it recently published its 2025 ESG report outlining sustainability performance and future plans across compliance, climate change and workplace safety. The report covers LG Corp., subsidiaries including LG CNS and D&O, and major affiliates including LG Electronics, LG Chem and LG Uplus. The most notable governance change is the group's transition to independent board chairs at 11 listed companies, including LG Corp., LG Electronics, LG Chem, LG Uplus and LG CNS. At LG Corp., Chairman Koo Kwang-mo had previously served concurrently as chairman of the board. LG said separating board leadership from management is intended to strengthen board independence and oversight and improve transparency in corporate decision-making. The group has also operated a board-centered compliance governance system since 2023, placing responsibility for oversight of key compliance risks with company boards while delegating implementation and monitoring duties to ESG committees, chief executives and compliance officers. The changes come as Korean companies prepare for tighter sustainability disclosure requirements. LG Corp. has applied standards being developed by the Korea Sustainability Standards Board, or KSSB, to its ESG reporting since 2024, ahead of mandatory ESG disclosures scheduled for 2028. Its latest report applies the framework across compliance, climate change and occupational health and safety. On climate, LG said it is targeting a 34 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2018 levels by 2030 and a 52 percent reduction by 2040, before reaching net zero by 2050. The group plans to periodically revise the roadmap to reflect technological advances and progress at its affiliates. LG has also incorporated AI technology into its workplace safety initiatives, showcasing AI-based safety and environmental systems through its group-wide Safety Health Environment Conference, which has been held since 2023. AJP Takeaways LG has moved 11 major listed affiliates to independent board chairmanship, separating board leadership from management as part of a broader governance overhaul. The group has incorporated KSSB sustainability standards into its ESG reporting since 2024, ahead of South Korea's planned mandatory ESG disclosures in 2028. LG is targeting a 34 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions from 2018 levels by 2030, 52 percent by 2040 and net zero by 2050. 2026-08-19 10:57:41 -
Korean Minister Kim Jong-kwan Meets with USTR Representative to Address Trade Relations Following the dismissal of Yeohang-gu, head of the Trade Negotiation Bureau, South Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jong-kwan has taken a proactive role in addressing strategic investment and tariff issues with the United States. He has engaged in discussions not only with his counterpart, Secretary of Commerce Howard Rutnik, but also with USTR Representative Jamieson Greer, effectively stepping into the forefront of U.S.-Korea trade negotiations.According to the Ministry of Trade, Kim has been in Washington, D.C., from August 16 to 19, meeting with key U.S. officials to discuss bilateral industrial and trade issues, including strategic investment projects.On August 17 and 18, Kim met with Secretary Rutnik to discuss candidate projects for strategic investment in the U.S. This meeting comes about three weeks after their last discussion on July 22-23, with both sides reportedly working to narrow their differences on the candidate projects.Later, Kim is scheduled to meet with USTR Representative Greer to discuss trade issues, including the Section 301 investigation under U.S. trade law. During this meeting, he is expected to emphasize the importance of maintaining stable communication channels between the trade authorities of South Korea and the U.S. He will also meet with Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to discuss follow-up measures related to President Trump's policy on rebuilding the shipbuilding industry and cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. in this sector.This visit is particularly noteworthy in light of Yeoh's dismissal. Previously, the trade response to the U.S. was managed through a 'two-top' system, where Kim coordinated investment and industrial cooperation with Rutnik, while Yeoh handled tariff and non-tariff barriers with Greer. In the lead-up to the announcement of the Section 301 investigation results last month, both Kim and Yeoh had visited the U.S. in a similar division of roles. However, following Yeoh's dismissal, Kim has taken on direct responsibility for both strategic investment and trade issue discussions with the USTR, indicating a shift in strategy to maintain momentum in U.S. negotiations.There are several pressing issues to address, including the potential for additional tariffs resulting from the Section 301 investigation and the need to further develop strategic investment projects.The Ministry stated, "We plan to actively respond to ensure that the trade relationship between South Korea and the U.S. remains stable and that the balance of benefits secured through last year's tariff agreement is maintained."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 10:56:00
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Researchers find technique to boost water-based battery performance SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - Developing safe and affordable batteries is essential for operating large-scale energy storage systems, but current water-based models struggle to store energy quickly and in large volumes. To resolve this, researchers have designed a new electrode material that increases both energy capacity and charging speeds by utilizing particles previously thought to degrade battery performance, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said Wednesday. Conventional aqueous zinc-ion batteries face limitations because zinc ions are large and move slowly, restricting charging speeds. Additionally, smaller protons moving within the battery often create byproducts that hinder the zinc ions, leading engineers to traditionally suppress proton activity. The new design shifts this approach by controlling the sequence in which these particles are stored, allowing both the zinc ions and the protons to contribute to the battery's overall energy capacity instead of interfering with each other. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)'s announcement outlines research led by Professor Park Sun-ah from the university's chemistry department, alongside co-first authors Park Geun-chan and Lee Kyu-won from the Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH). The research team used a two-dimensional conductive metal-organic framework with microscopic pores as the electrode material. They added amine functional groups inside these pores to act as designated storage spots for protons at specific voltages. This mechanism ensures the larger zinc ions enter the electrode first, followed by the smaller protons. The process is similar to filling an empty jar with large rocks first and then pouring in fine sand to fill the remaining gaps. By securing the zinc ions first, the researchers prevented the protons from reacting too early and blocking the movement of other ions inside the device. The newly developed material demonstrated a high storage capacity of 368.7 milliampere-hours per gram, meaning a small amount of the material can store a large volume of electricity. When the charging and discharging speed was increased by 16 times, the battery maintained 46.9 percent of its initial capacity, whereas standard batteries typically lose significant storage capability at high speeds. The material also showed stable performance after 500 rapid charge and discharge cycles. Water-based zinc-ion batteries use water as an electrolyte to help ions move inside the device. Because they are less prone to fire risks, cheaper to produce, and carry a lower environmental burden than standard lithium-ion batteries, they are considered a strong candidate for future energy storage infrastructure. "We have shown that protons, which were previously considered a hindrance that could degrade battery performance, can actually be utilized to store more energy," Professor Park Sun-ah said. "We expect that this principle can be applied to various electrode materials to develop batteries capable of rapidly storing larger amounts of energy." (Reference Information) Journal/Source: Chem Title: Sequential Zn2+–H+ Storage in a 2D Conductive Metal-Organic Framework for Advanced Aqueous Zinc-Ion Battery Link/DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2026.103129 2026-08-19 10:52:18 -
Kim Min-seok Criticizes Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae Over Controversial Appointments Kim Min-seok, the leader of the Democratic Party, criticized Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae on August 19 for his controversial nomination of two Supreme Court justices, stating, "Are you trying to walk the path of a co-conspirator in insurrection? You should resign immediately." Cho had recommended the appointments to President Lee Jae-myung the previous day.During his first on-site Supreme Council meeting held at the Busan City Party headquarters, Kim recalled former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's desperate plea for impeachment, saying, "Seeing the situation with Chief Justice Cho reminds me of Han Duck-soo, who wanted to run for president and begged for impeachment." He added, "Cho failed to uphold the authority of the judiciary during the insurrection and has not resolved suspicions of collusion to this day."Kim pointed out that while Cho acted swiftly in intervening in the presidential election, he has engaged in illegal behavior by delaying the appointments of Supreme Court justices for months. He stated, "Cho should have been impeached long ago. As soon as impeachment discussions arose, he acted unlawfully again through circumvention of the law."He emphasized the issue of judicial manipulation, questioning, "How can a Chief Justice shamelessly engage in judicial manipulation?" Kim declared, "We can no longer refer to him as Chief Justice; he is merely a legal technician."In conclusion, Kim asserted, "Before the sovereignty of the people, Cho must either resign or apologize. I urge the entire judiciary to rise up and demand his resignation. Otherwise, the judiciary of South Korea will not escape the terrifying wave of judicial reform."Earlier, Cho had nominated Judge Son Bong-ki of the Daegu District Court and Judge Kim Sung-soo of the Seoul High Court as candidates for the Supreme Court. Judge Son is set to succeed former Justice Roh Tae-ack, while Judge Kim will replace Justice Lee Heung-gu, whose term ends on September 7.Internally, the Democratic Party is expressing dissent. Song Young-gil, the party's longest-serving member, posted on Facebook the day before, criticizing the unilateral cancellation of a promised visit to the Blue House and stating, "After wasting half a year, is this how we are informed? He notified the appointment through documents without even meeting with the appointing authority, the president. As I have mentioned regarding Cho's impeachment, it is now time for the National Assembly to respond."Meanwhile, before the Supreme Council meeting, Kim met with Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo. During this meeting, Kim acknowledged President Lee's strong passion for making Busan a marine capital, stating, "The reason we are holding the Supreme Council here in Busan before Seoul is that the marine capital is a national priority." He expressed a desire to convey to the citizens of Busan how much attention the party and government are giving to this issue. Notably, Kim mentioned the absence of Democratic Party lawmakers in Busan, pledging to prioritize the prosperity of Busan's citizens. 2026-08-19 10:52:00
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Park Hong-geun Urges Disability Rights Group to Halt Commuter Protests Park Hong-geun, the Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, strongly urged the National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Jeonjangyeon) to stop protests that repeatedly disrupt the daily commutes of citizens.In a Facebook post on August 19, Park stated, "While the demand for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities should be respected, it must not infringe upon the rights of non-disabled individuals or the laws of the state." He emphasized that the mobility rights of persons with disabilities and the daily lives of all citizens must be guaranteed together.Previously, Jeonjangyeon announced plans to conduct daily subway protests during rush hour until the Ministry of Economy and Finance commits to including a budget for disability rights in the 2027 government budget proposal. However, the subway protest scheduled for that day was reportedly canceled.Park explained that support for disabled taxi services was transferred to local governments in 2005, but to strengthen the national responsibility for the mobility rights of persons with disabilities, related laws have been amended to allow the government to provide annual support for vehicle purchase and operating costs.He further emphasized that budget preparation for disability-related issues and protests are separate matters. "Government budgets are not subject to negotiation based on the intensity of protests or demonstrations," he said, adding that necessary policies and budgets for persons with disabilities will be responsibly reviewed based on their needs, the feasibility of projects, and financial principles.He concluded by stating, "Just as the rights of persons with disabilities must be protected, it is also the government's principle and duty to safeguard the daily lives of all citizens." He noted that subway and bus protests that significantly inconvenience busy commuters will no longer receive support and urged Jeonjangyeon to firmly express their commitment to respecting the law and not infringing upon citizens' daily lives.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 10:48:00
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Unitree's Stock Soars 629% on Debut, Founder Gains $28 Billion Chinese humanoid robotics company Unitree (宇樹科技) officially listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR Market today.The initial public offering price was set at 150.8 yuan per share. On debut, Unitree's opening price surged to 1,100 yuan, 7.29 times the IPO price. As of 9:33 a.m. local time, the stock price had risen by 570.4% to 1,011 yuan.Based on the IPO price, the company's market capitalization was 60.9 billion yuan (approximately $13 billion), while the opening price gave it a market cap of 444.5 billion yuan (about $93 billion).Through this listing, Unitree raised 6.1 billion yuan (around $1.3 billion) in funds, which will be used for research on AI models for robots, new product development, and expanding production facilities.Last year, Unitree reported a revenue of 1.7 billion yuan (approximately $360 million), a 335% increase from the previous year. Its net profit rose by 204% to 287.6 million yuan. The company projects its revenue for the first half of this year to be between 1.052 billion and 1.128 billion yuan.Founder Wang Xingxing (王興興), born in 1990, holds a 33.35% stake in the company, both directly (23.82%) and indirectly (9.53%). This stake is valued at 18.3 billion yuan based on the IPO price and 133.4 billion yuan (approximately $28 billion) at the opening price.Wang was born in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. He graduated from Zhejiang University with a degree in mechanical engineering and obtained a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Shanghai University. Shortly after graduating in 2015, he worked at drone manufacturer DJI (大疆).While at Shanghai University, Wang developed a quadruped robot called xDog, which won awards at robotics competitions. An impressed investor provided 2 million yuan in funding, leading Wang to establish Unitree in 2016. In just ten years, Unitree has become a leading player in China's humanoid robotics sector and is gaining recognition as a top-tier global robotics company.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 10:44:00
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Arco Ensemble to Perform at Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA on August 20 The Arts Council Korea (Arco) announced that the youth classical talent development project, Arco Ensemble, will participate in the 25th Annual Benefit Concert hosted by the Koreatown Youth Community Center (KYCC) at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles on August 20.This annual fundraising concert aims to support local Korean American youth and low-income multicultural families. During the event, the Arco Ensemble will collaborate with the KYCC Festival Orchestra and the Seocho Symphony Orchestra to form a Korean-American joint orchestra, showcasing the exceptional skills and artistic capabilities of young Korean musicians to the local audience.Under the direction of Artistic Director Bae Jong-hoon, the ensemble features young performers including violinist Kim Hye-jin, horn player Moon Hye-jin, violist Bae Seo-yeon, and violinist Baek Se-eun. They plan to demonstrate the potential of K-Classical on the renowned stage of the Walt Disney Concert Hall.The first half of the concert will present classical masterpieces, including Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, performed by the joint orchestra. The second half will feature a solo performance by Yang Seung-hee on the gayageum, followed by collaborative performances with top artists from Korea and abroad.Featured artists include singer Baek Ji-young, Grammy-winning Mexican band La Santa Cecilia, singer-songwriter Alisa, and the Yang Seung-hee Gayageum Ensemble (Yang Seung-hee, Min Ui-sik, Lee Moon-hee).Lee Beom-hun, chairman of the Arts Council Korea, stated, "The Arco Ensemble is a key project supporting the sustainable growth and international advancement of young classical musicians. Following three performances in Europe in 2026, participating in the LA KYCC fundraising concert will help solidify the global presence of Korean young artists and expand the horizons of cultural diplomacy through various channels."Founded in 2024, the Arco Ensemble is a project-based performance group composed of young classical musicians from Korea active around the world.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-19 10:44:00
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FSS launches hiring drive for entry-level positions SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) launched a hiring drive to recruit about 95 new employees for next year, the financial regulator said on Wednesday. It will accept applications for entry-level positions through Sept. 7 to recruit candidates who can better respond to emerging regulatory challenges. Applicants must select one of seven fields including business administration, law, economics, information technology (IT), statistics, financial engineering and consumer studies, aand take written exams in their chosen field, with exams scheduled for mid-September and October. The hiring is open to all applicants regardless of their educational background, age or academic major. But male applicants must have completed or been exempted from mandatory military service, while those currently serving are eligible if they can be discharged by the end of this year. To attract candidates with specialized expertise, the FSS will give preference to applicants with professional qualifications including certified public accountants, lawyers and actuaries. Those who pass the written exams on Sept. 12 and Oct. 17 will move on to two rounds of interviews in November and December, with a personality assessment included in the first round. After medical checkups and background checks, the final successful candidates are expected to be announced between late December and January. The FSS plans to provide detailed information about the hiring process on various social media platforms as well as on its website. AJP Takeaways • The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) plans to hire 95 entry-level Grade 5 employees for 2027 across seven fields: business administration, law, economics, IT, statistics, financial engineering and consumer studies. • Applications are open from Aug. 19 through noon on Sept. 7, 2026, with no restrictions based on educational background, age or academic major. Each applicant may apply for only one field. • The Financial Supervisory Service expects to announce final results between late December 2026 and January 2027, following interviews, a medical examination and background screening. 2026-08-19 10:43:21 -
Kookmin University joins $1.2 mln project to develop vehicle security chip SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - A government-funded project has picked Kookmin University to build two of the main defenses for a new chip meant to keep hackers out of cars. The project runs from July this year to December 2030, four years and six months, on a budget of 10 billion won ($7.07 million). Kookmin University gets 1.7 billion won of that. The Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea are paying for the work. Ranix, a Seoul chip design company, leads the group. Kookmin University, Sungkyunkwan University, Ajou University, the Korea Automotive Technology Institute and Hyundai Mobis are doing the research together. Hyundai Motor is taking part as the buyer, not as a researcher. Carmakers are shifting to what the industry calls the software-defined vehicle, a car whose features are controlled by software that can be updated after it is sold. That means more of what a car does runs through software and internal networks, and every one of those is a possible way in for an attacker. Two international rules, UNECE R155 and ISO/SAE 21434, now require carmakers to guard against this. The group wants to put several defenses that are now scattered across different parts onto one chip. Among them are encryption designed to resist future quantum computers, a hardware vault for storing encryption keys, a chip fingerprint that cannot be copied, a generator of truly random numbers, and a system that watches for intruders. Kookmin University is handling three pieces. It will build the intruder detection system and test it in a real car. It will work out how to run ML-KEM and ML-DSA, two quantum-resistant encryption methods approved by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, directly in hardware. And it will build tools to check whether a chip's random numbers are truly random, which decides whether an encryption key can be guessed. The detection work takes a different path from the usual one. Most systems watch either what happens inside the chip or what moves across the car's internal network, and look at each on its own. Kookmin University plans to link the two, so a strange event in the processor and odd traffic on the network are read as one signal. Jeon Sang-hoon, a professor in Kookmin University's Department of Automotive IT Convergence, is leading the work. Yeom Yong-jin and Kim Dong-chan, both professors in the Department of Information Security, Cryptography and Mathematics, are handling the random number checks and the quantum-resistant encryption, respectively. "This project is national recognition of Kookmin University's convergence research capability spanning vehicle network security, chip-level security and cryptographic theory," Jeon said. "By 2030 we will secure a multi-layer intrusion detection system and post-quantum cryptography implementation and verification technology proven in real vehicle environments, and contribute to raising the national competitiveness of South Korea's future mobility security technology." 2026-08-19 10:41:15