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KOSPI closes higher on LGES battery deal while Chinese and Japanese markets stay flat SEOUL, December 8 (AJP) - The South Korean stock market saw gains on Monday, while other major Asian markets including Japan and China, remained flat. South Korea's benchmark KOSPI rose 1.3 percent to close at 4,154.85, while the junior KOSDAQ edged up 0.3 percent to finish at 927.79. Memory chip giant Samsung Electronics gained 0.9 percent, closing at 109,400 won (US$75), and rival SK hynix rose 5.2 percent to 573,000 won. LG Energy Solution, the third-largest company in terms of market capitalization, climbed 5.6 percent to 450,000 won, apparently buoyed by its announcement of signing a major supply deal with German automaker Mercedes-Benz AG worth 2.06 trillion won ($1.4 billion). The deal, which covers markets including North America and Europe, will run from March 2028 to June 2035. Despite the overall rise of KOSPI, stocks of major talent mills all declined, with HYBE falling 0.3 percent to 289,000 won, JYP Entertainment 1.2 percent to 67,600 won, SM Entertainment 2.3 percent to 102,000 won, and YG Entertainment 1 percent to 61,500 won. Notably, eco-friendly battery maker EcoPro's stock hit a new 52-week high during mid-trading, which many speculated was driven by the anticipated move of the tech-heavy KOSDAQ's top-ranked Alteogen to the KOSPI. This sparked investor interest in the No. 2 and No. 3 stocks — EcoPro BM and EcoPro — as they were expected to become the next leading stocks. EcoPro BM surged 8.5 percent to 173,300 won, while its holding company, EcoPro, jumped 21.3 percent to 117,500 won. Meanwhile, in Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.2 percent to 50,581.94. Among major Japanese firms, Toyota rose 0.9 percent to 3,060 yen ($20), and Hitachi gained 0.6 percent to 4,911 yen. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Japan's second-largest company by market value, fell 1.2 percent to 2,498.5 yen. SoftBank dropped 3.3 percent to 18,655 yen, and Sony edged down 0.7 percent to 4,300 yen. Looking at other major market players, Nintendo fell 1.4 percent to 12,320 yen, Honda rose 0.6 percent to 1,528.5 yen, and Canon gained 1.0 percent, ending at 4,576 yen. In China, the Shanhai Composite Index gained 0.5 percent to 3,924.08. 2025-12-08 17:58:33 -
KAIST researchers develop water spray purifier capable of removing dust without filters SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - A research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on December 8 that developers had created a novel air purification technology capable of removing 99.9% of fine dust without the use of filters, mechanical pumps, or noise, while emitting zero ozone. The research team, led by Department of Materials Science and Engineering Professor Kim Il-Doo and Department of Mechanical Engineering Professor Lee Seung-Seop, successfully created a "self-pumping water electrospray" device. The system combines ultra-low power consumption with high-efficiency particulate removal, addressing the limitations of traditional HEPA filters and electrostatic precipitators. Conventional air purifiers rely heavily on High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, which require regular replacement and significant energy to force air through dense material. Alternatively, existing electrostatic purifiers often generate ozone—a harmful respiratory irritant—as a byproduct of corona discharge. The KAIST team’s innovation circumvents these issues by utilizing "water electrospray" technology, which generates microscopic, electrically charged water droplets to trap dust particles in the air. According to the researchers, the core of the innovation lies in the integration of Professor Lee’s "ozone-free water electrospray" and Professor Kim’s "hygroscopic nanofiber" technology. The system features a unique "self-pumping" mechanism where water is drawn up through a nanofiber wick and polymer microchannels via capillary action, eliminating the need for a mechanical pump. In laboratory tests conducted in a 0.1 m³ chamber, the device successfully removed 99.9% of particulate matter ranging from PM0.3 to PM10 within 20 minutes. Notably, it eliminated 97% of PM0.3—particles less than 0.3 micrometers in diameter, which are notoriously difficult for standard filters to capture—in just five minutes. The system demonstrated high stability, operating continuously for 50 hours without performance degradation. It is also exceptionally energy-efficient, consuming only 1.3 Watts of power—roughly half the energy required by a standard HEPA purifier and less than a smartphone charger. Water consumption was recorded at less than 0.4 milliliters per hour. Crucially, the team confirmed the device produces no detectable ozone, maintaining a safe indoor environment while filtering pollutants. The technology is currently being commercialized through A2US Co., Ltd., a faculty startup founded by Professor Lee Seung-Seop. The company has already been recognized with an Innovation Award ahead of CES 2025. A2US plans to release a portable air purifier based on this technology in 2026. The commercial unit is expected to handle not only fine dust but also odors and airborne pathogens. Research findings were published on November 14 in Advanced Functional Materials, a leading international journal in the field of materials science, under the title "Self-pumped Hygroscopic Nanofiber Emitter for Ozone-free Water Electrospray-based Air Purification." The study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the KAIST-MIT Future Energy Research Center. 2025-12-08 17:57:21 -
Korean big-box retailers shrink under decade-old regulations SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - South Korea’s largest hypermarket chains are steadily losing ground as long-standing regulatory constraints undermine their competitiveness while e-commerce and less-regulated rivals expand, industry data show. The total number of outlets operated by major chains — including E-Mart, Lotte Mart and Homeplus — fell 7.5 percent to 392 this year from 424 in 2017. E-Mart reduced its store count from 159 to 157, Lotte Mart from 123 to 112, and Homeplus from 142 to 123. The contraction has been accompanied by declining revenues. Combined annual sales at the three chains fell below 30 trillion won last year, down about 3.3 trillion won from a decade earlier, according to industry estimates. Industry officials attribute much of the pressure to the industry regulatory framework, introduced in 2012 to protect traditional markets and small merchants. The law mandates two monthly shutdown days, bans operations between midnight and 10 a.m., and restricts new store openings within a one-kilometer radius of traditional markets. It also prohibits online deliveries by large retailers during restricted hours, effectively excluding them from the rapidly expanding early-morning delivery market. By contrast, e-commerce platforms such as Coupang have expanded rapidly, while brick-and-mortar formats exempt from the rules have gained market share. Last month, the National Assembly extended the law’s sunset clause to Nov. 23, 2029, effectively locking in the current regulatory framework. Policy experts and industry groups say the rules no longer serve their original purpose. A report by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade found little evidence that mandatory holiday closures revive traditional markets and said the law is rooted in an outdated, offline-centric view of retail that fails to match current consumer behavior. “Applying rigid, decades-old rules only to hypermarkets is increasingly disconnected from market realities where online and offline channels have converged,” an industry official said. “The framework for coexistence with traditional markets needs to be redesigned to restore competitiveness.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-08 17:32:23 -
PHOTOS: Yeongjong tidal flats busy with oyster harvesting SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - 2025-12-08 17:28:18 -
PHOTOS: Strolling through Jeju's Yakcheonsa temple SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - Yakcheonsa Temple gets its name from a spring that flows from spring to fall and a pond with medicinal water that runs year-round. The temple boasts the largest dharma hall in East Asia. Currently, it is beloved for its extensive temple grounds walks and temple stay programs. 2025-12-08 17:27:48 -
Rise in vaping keeps smoking rate from declining further, survey finds SEOUL, December 8 (AJP) - Although conventional cigarette smoking has decreasing, the rising use of e-cigarettes means that overall tobacco consumption is not declining as much as it could be, a new survey suggests. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency surveyed 230,000 adults between May and July and released its findings on Monday. According to the survey, the smoking rate for traditional cigarettes dropped to 17.9 percent, down 1 percentage point from the previous year. But the proportion of e-cigarette smokers rose 0.6 percentage points to 9.3 percent, causing overall tobacco consumption to fall by only 0.5 percentage points to 22.1 percent. By region, North Chungcheong Province had the highest rate of tobacco smokers, while Sejong had the lowest. Alcohol consumption showed a slight decrease as well. The proportion of people who drink at least once a month dropped 1.2 percentage points to 57.1 percent. The proportion of high-risk drinkers, those who consume seven or more drinks (for men) or five or more (for women) at least twice per week also fell slightly to 12 percent. Obesity rates, however, continue to rise. The proportion of people with a BMI of 25 or higher increased 1 percentage point to 35.4 percent. Despite more people trying to lose or maintain weight, those efforts have failed to curb rising obesity rates. Walking and moderate physical activity have seen a slight decline, with walking at 49.2 percent and moderate activity at 26 percent, suggesting a drop in daily activity levels. More people were diagnosed with chronic diseases such as hypertension (21.2 percent) and diabetes (9.6 percent), although treatment rates have remained stable at around 93 percent. More than half of respondents were aware of the symptoms of heart attacks and the signs of strokes, though the agency stressed the need for enhanced public education to further boost awareness. Those suffering from depression dropped to 5.9 percent, a slight decrease from last year, while stress levels saw a slight increase to 23.9 percent. * This article, published by Economic Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-08 17:20:31 -
As U.S. and China drop denuclearization language, Seoul downplays shift SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - The United States and China have both subtly or explicitly backed away from the long-held principle of "complete denuclearization" of North Korea, yet Seoul appears largely unconcerned — a stance that is raising alarms among security watchers. Analysts say the shift is not abrupt but rather an unmistakable acknowledgment of a transformed strategic landscape. North Korea is now a constitutionally protected nuclear-armed state; the United States is drifting toward a more transactional alliance centered on burden-sharing; China has effectively deprioritized denuclearization; and Russia has deepened military cooperation with Pyongyang, including missile transfers. Against this backdrop, Seoul remains committed to a framework designed for a very different era — one in which denuclearization seemed at least theoretically possible, major powers worked in loose alignment, and North Korea still engaged in negotiations. Dr. Cheong Seong-chang, vice president of the Sejong Institute's Center for Korean Peninsula Strategy, said recent signals from Washington and Beijing represent not a policy reversal but a public recognition of this structural shift. "North Korea is developing multiple-warhead ICBMs and a strategic nuclear submarine. Expecting Pyongyang to give up nuclear weapons at this stage is unrealistic," he told AJP in a phone interview Monday, stressing that any meaningful window for rollback "closed long ago." Washington's new National Security Strategy, released last week, reflects that recalibration. The document makes no mention of North Korea and drops the familiar phrase "denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," instead focusing on deterring China and maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait. It also excludes the term "extended deterrence," a shift many interpret as a sign that allies are expected to shoulder more of their own defense burdens. China has also moved further from the denuclearization agenda. Since March 2024, Beijing has omitted the term from its external statements and again avoided it in its September summit readout with Pyongyang. For the first time in nearly two decades, China removed "complete denuclearization" from its arms-control white paper. Russia, meanwhile, has strengthened military ties with North Korea, trading weapons and technology in ways that further undercut the conditions that once sustained a denuclearization framework. Despite these changes, the South Korean government maintains that nothing fundamental has changed. National Security Director Wi Sung-lac on Sunday downplayed the meaning of the NSS language, telling reporters that the omission of North Korea stemmed from structural choices in drafting rather than reduced American interest. "There is no need to view this as meaning the U.S. has no interest in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue or in resuming U.S.–North Korea dialogue," he said. Wi explained that the NSS was organized around an "America First" framework, with detailed regional content expected in subordinate documents. He added that Seoul has "strengthened its international connections" with neighboring countries and intends to build on that groundwork to reopen dialogue with Pyongyang. Asked whether joint military exercises might be adjusted as part of that effort, Wi said "many possible cards" exist, but stressed the government is "not directly considering reduction of joint drills." Speculation about a shift in Seoul's own phrasing emerged after President Lee Jae Myung used the term "a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula" during a press conference with foreign correspondents in Seoul on Dec.2. At a briefing Monday, Ministry of Unification spokesperson Yoon Min-ho clarified that "a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula" and "denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula" carry the same meaning. He added that South Korea will continue working with key countries toward denuclearization, regardless of how other governments frame the issue in their internal documents. Cheong of Sejong argues that Seoul's current framework is increasingly misaligned with the strategic environment. "If North Korea has made clear it will never give up nuclear weapons, then a policy that depends on asking Pyongyang to do so will not lead to dialogue," he said. He believes South Korea should adopt a deterrence-centered approach while leaving room for negotiations built on a balance of power rather than expectations of disarmament. One option he highlighted is building nuclear latency comparable to Japan's — strengthening industrial and technological capacity to enable rapid nuclear armament if circumstances require it. With full state mobilization, he estimated, weaponization could be technically achievable in about a year. He also pointed to the recent U.S.–South Korea agreement allowing reprocessing and enrichment of used nuclear fuel, which enhances low-enriched uranium capability and reduces barriers to future high enrichment. 2025-12-08 17:09:28 -
Half of Korea's AI startups fail within three years, report shows SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - Nearly half of South Korean artificial intelligence startups fail to survive beyond three years, underscoring structural weaknesses in funding and commercialization, according to a report released on Monday by the Korea Industrial Technology Association. The association said the three-year survival rate of AI startups stood at 56.2 percent as of the end of 2023, well below the 72.7 percent survival rate of general AI companies and the 68.8 percent average across all industries. The report found that AI startups remain highly dependent on external funding, with 22.9 percent of their research and development budgets coming from government grants and subsidies. “Government grants and subsidies are essential for sustaining AI startup R&D,” the report said, adding that heavy reliance on external capital reflects weak internal financial capacity. While average R&D spending by AI startups grew at an annual rate of 15.4 percent over the past three years, the amount reached only 590 million won in 2023, lagging behind other industrial sectors. “Bold R&D support and a stronger innovation ecosystem are needed for our AI startups to build global competitiveness,” said Ko Se-gon, executive vice president of the association. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-08 16:32:16 -
Comedienne Park Na-rae suspends activities amid mounting allegations SEOUL, December 8 (AJP) - A slew of allegations from verbal abuse and tantrums to illegal medical practices that emerged last week has led comedienne Park Na-rae to suspend all activities. In a message posted on social media on Monday, Park said, "I have decided to stop all activities until everything is resolved," adding, "I cannot continue to burden my colleagues on the programs ." In response, the shows and programs she had regularly appeared on soon parted ways with her, confirming her departure. MBC's long-running reality show "I Live Alone" said, "Considering the gravity of the situation..... we have decided to halt her appearance on the show." The broadcaster also canceled altogether a planned travel-themed reality show that was set to feature Park along with her colleagues Jang Do-yeon, Shin Ki-ru, and Heo Anna, scheduled to air sometime in January. Cable channel tvN's "Amazing Saturday" also said, "We respect Park's decision to suspend her activities and will allow her to leave the show." Following a decade of obscurity, the 40-year-old, who had enjoyed a spectacular rise by striking a chord with viewers through her cheerful and candid character while leading a seemingly fun-filled life, became embroiled in controversy last week when two former managers accused her of verbal abuse, physical assault, and forcing them to run personal errands, among other allegations. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-08 16:12:57 -
Korean big techs toughen data-protection systems, Coupang faces lawsuits in U.S. and at home SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - Major South Korean digital-tech companies are scrambling to revisit their data-protection posture and reinforce security protocols after Coupang's colossal data breach put the personal information of more than 30 million shoppers at risk, triggering tougher regulatory scrutiny and a wave of litigations. The incident has laid bare the vulnerability of Koreans' private data in a society where virtually every aspect of daily life — banking, shopping, communication, mobility — runs through digital platforms, while exposing corporate and government complacency in safeguarding privacy. Kakao, operator of the country's dominant messaging platform, said it is upgrading its internal security response processes after this year's repeated data leaks. "With so many security breaches this year, including Coupang's case, we are re-examining and advancing our overall internal security response processes. We are expanding mock drills based on actual incident scenarios and strengthening monitoring to identify and respond to potential risks earlier," a Kakao spokesperson in charge of security told AJP. With nearly the entire Korean population relying on KakaoTalk for communication and business transactions, the company is conducting scenario-based infiltration training by hiring white-hat hackers and expanding company-wide security drills to bolster practical preparedness. Kakao is also stepping up user-side protection. Through its KakaoTalk Wallet, it has been sending cautionary alerts to help prevent secondary damages linked to the Coupang breach. Its government-notification service — which alerts users when overseas direct purchases are made under their name — is designed to detect early signs of identity theft. Viva Republica, operator of the financial super-app Toss, said it is conducting regular mock hacking exercises, vulnerability scans, and penetration-based safety checks. "We are meticulously reviewing our security systems across all services. We operate a 24-hour monitoring and response system for detecting anomalies and are prepared to respond immediately if additional measures are needed," a Viva Republica spokesperson said. Naver, the country's largest internet portal, declined to comment on its latest response measures. The company already maintains dedicated security personnel in its commerce and shopping divisions, overseeing personal data protection from service design to operation. It has also allocated resources to address security vulnerabilities and misuse issues — and stands to benefit from an influx of users if trust in the leading e-commerce platform continues to erode. While major platforms are tightening internal defenses, the government is also accelerating regulatory updates. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea is expected to revive efforts to pass the Online Platform Act once ongoing non-tariff negotiations with the United States conclude, according to industry sources. The bill would classify major platform operators — including Naver and Coupang — as dominant market players subject to stricter Fair Trade Commission oversight. The legislation stalled earlier this year after U.S. officials raised concerns it would disproportionately target American firms such as Google and Meta. But the Coupang breach has given lawmakers fresh political momentum. President Lee Jae Myung called for stronger penalties and punitive damages mechanisms in the wake of the breach. "We need to strengthen fines and make the punitive damages system a reality," Lee said, referring directly to Coupang. Coupang has maintained there is no evidence of direct secondary damages so far. But the Korean National Police Agency has urged heightened vigilance, warning of persistent phishing and smishing attempts exploiting the situation. Authorities said they are receiving reports of new scam schemes — including fake delivery-delay notifications and credit card fraud alerts referencing the Coupang leak to instill urgency. The agency urged users to avoid clicking unknown links and to report suspicious activity to the 112 hotline. Meanwhile, Coupang faces class-action lawsuits both in the United States and Korea. SJKP, the U.S. affiliate of Korea's Daeryun Law Firm, held a press conference in Manhattan on Monday announcing plans to file a punitive damages suit in U.S. courts against the company, which is based and publicly traded in the U.S. while earning money through retail business in Korea. Unlike in Korea, American law allows punitive damages that could yield significantly larger compensation. Daeryun said it will pursue litigation simultaneously in both countries and is examining whether Coupang properly disclosed the breach to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as listed companies are required to report major cybersecurity incidents within four business days. 2025-12-08 15:45:38