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Hyundai Motor's Ioniq 9 defies slump in global EV sales SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor’s latest electric sport utility vehicle, the Ioniq 9, has sold nearly 15,000 units worldwide in the six months since its debut, the company said Monday. The large SUV, a centerpiece of Hyundai Motor Group’s collaboration with battery maker SK On, recorded 14,391 sales across domestic and international markets through July, the company said. The vehicle was first released in South Korea in February. The performance stands out against the backdrop of what analysts have dubbed the “EV chasm,” a slowdown in consumer appetite that has forced many automakers to scale back production and delay investment plans. Hyundai sold 4,789 units in South Korea, 4,745 overseas, and 4,857 through its new Metaplant America factory in Georgia. Exports began in April, and by July, sales abroad had already surpassed domestic deliveries. The model has proved especially popular in the United States, where 2,086 vehicles were sold in just three months despite a broader downturn in EV sales. Hyundai splits production between its plant in Asan, south of Seoul, which builds export models, and its $7.6 billion Georgia complex, which supplies the American market. The localized output allows SK On, Hyundai’s battery partner, to take advantage of federal tax credits tied to the Trump administration’s clean energy laws. SK On operates two battery plants in Georgia and is building a third, a 35-gigawatt-hour joint venture facility with Hyundai. Analysts see the partnership as strategically significant: Hyundai gains a secure supply of batteries, while SK On deepens its foothold in the critical North American market. 2025-08-25 15:19:55
[[K-Tech]] SK hynix begins mass production of next-generation NAND chip with 321 layers SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - SK hynix said Monday it has started mass production of a 321-layer NAND flash memory chip, a development the company described as a world first in quad-level cell, or QLC, technology. NAND flash, a type of non-volatile memory that retains data even without power, is a critical component in solid-state drives and data centers. QLC technology, which stores four bits of information in a single cell, allows for greater density but typically comes with trade-offs in speed and durability. The South Korean chipmaker said its new 2-terabit QLC NAND doubles the capacity of its predecessor while pushing past what it called the “technological limits” of memory stacking — the process of vertically layering cells to pack more data into a smaller footprint. To counter the performance slowdown often associated with higher-density chips, SK hynix said it expanded the number of “planes,” or independent operating groups within the chip, from four to six. The change enables greater parallel processing, boosting data transfer speeds to twice that of its earlier QLC product. Write performance improved by as much as 56 percent, read performance by 18 percent and power efficiency during data writes by more than 23 percent, the company said. The new chip will first be introduced in PC solid-state drives before being applied to smartphones and large-scale data centers. SK hynix also plans to use its proprietary packaging technology, which stacks 32 NAND chips at once, to produce ultra-high-capacity enterprise SSDs for artificial intelligence servers. “With the explosive growth of AI demand and the high-performance requirements of the data center market, we will achieve a greater leap forward as a full-stack AI memory provider,” said Jeong Woo-pyo, executive vice president and head of NAND development at SK hynix. The company said it expects the chip to undergo customer verification before being deployed in AI data centers in the first half of next year. 2025-08-25 14:19:39
K-pop anime's sing-along screenings draw large crowds in US SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - Special two-day screenings of Netflix's South Korean anime "KPop Demon Hunters" attracted a horde of K-pop fans and other moviegoers in the U.S. over the weekend. To capitalize on the seemingly unstoppable popularity of the animation, the American streaming giant offered sing-along screenings at more than 1,700 theaters across North America, many of which sold out as soon as tickets became available. The limited-time screenings allowed audiences to sing along with on-screen lyrics while watching the film, turning it into an interactive event for fans. According to the U.S. magazine Variety on Sunday, the popular anime was "estimated to have earned $18 million to $20 million" in ticket sales, based on "projections from rival studios and exhibitors." Since its release on June 20, the 100-minute animation, which tells the story of K-pop superstars who are not just "selling out stadiums" but also "using their secret powers to protect their fans from supernatural threats," has remained at the top of Netflix's weekly streaming chart since last week, after several weeks at No. 2. Its K-pop–infused soundtrack has also been a hit, with the main theme song "Golden" ranking No. 2 and three other tracks such as "How It's Done," "Soda Pop" and "Your Idol" included in the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 last week. 2025-08-25 14:16:07
[[K-Tech]] LG CNS unveils enterprise AI platform, aiming to redefine workplace SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - LG CNS on Monday introduced what it described as South Korea’s first full-scale platform for “agentic AI,” a new class of artificial intelligence designed to make decisions and carry out tasks without human oversight. At a press conference at LG Science Park in Seoul, the IT services arm of LG Group announced two flagship offerings: AgenticWorks, a modular platform for building enterprise-grade agentic AI services, and a:xink, a workplace productivity tool that integrates seven core business functions. Agentic AI, a term that industry experts increasingly use to describe autonomous assistants, goes beyond conventional chatbots or recommendation systems. The technology is intended to independently analyze information, take action across corporate systems and, in some cases, collaborate with other AI agents. LG CNS said AgenticWorks consists of six modules that allow businesses to design, deploy and manage agentic AI services across their entire life cycle. Its architecture lets companies adopt only the components they need, potentially lowering barriers to entry for non-technical staff. In practical terms, the company said, the system could track project budgets, flag risks, analyze competitor financial statements and generate business reports — all without human prompting. “This opens the door for employees outside IT departments to design their own AI workflows,” the company said in a statement. The a:xink service is an early demonstration of the platform’s potential. Using natural language commands, an employee might ask the system to draft a business trip approval based on meeting minutes and insert the request into a weekly report. Behind the scenes, the AI coordinates with document management and approval agents to execute the task. LG CNS said the service has already been deployed at LG Display, where it boosted daily productivity by about 10 percent and generated annual cost savings of more than 10 billion won, or roughly $7.4 million. The company expects productivity gains to surpass 30 percent within three years. “Agentic AI will fundamentally transform the competitive landscape by actively analyzing and coordinating entire work processes while supporting decision-making,” said Hyun Shin-gyoon, chief executive of LG CNS. “This allows employees to focus on creative tasks.” 2025-08-25 14:13:22
PHOTOS: Korean baseball continues surge, breaks attendance record yet again SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) announced on Aug. 23 that it has surpassed 10 million spectators for the second consecutive year, a milestone achieved even faster than last year’s record-breaking season. The league hit the 10-million mark in just 587 games, shattering the previous record of 671 games set in 2024. This achievement comes 23 days and 84 games earlier than last season. The KBO League is composed of 10 teams, with each playing 144 games during the regular season, for a total of 720 games. The league's surging popularity follows last year's historic season, which concluded with a total of 10,887,705 spectators. 2025-08-25 11:01:52
As US courts Korean investment, Seoul frets over eroding industrial base SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - South Korea’s biggest manufacturers are pouring billions of dollars into new plants and subsidiaries in the United States, a shift that is raising alarms about the slow erosion of the country’s own industrial base. Driven by Washington’s subsidies and political pressure to “make it in America,” Korean firms have sharply accelerated their investments abroad. Government data show manufacturers invested $1.8 billion in North America in the first quarter of this year — more than 16 times the $114 million they put into Europe. The number of new North American subsidiaries reached 31, quadruple the figure in Europe. The long-term trend is even starker. Between 2020 and 2024, Korea’s manufacturing investment in North America more than tripled, from $2.41 billion to $7.45 billion, while the number of subsidiaries nearly doubled. Samsung Electronics is building a $17 billion semiconductor plant in Texas. SK Group has pledged $52 billion for American ventures spanning chips, biotech and energy. Hyundai Motor is committing $21 billion to its electric vehicle and battery businesses in the U.S., anchored by a new steelworks in Louisiana. Hanwha Group has acquired Philly Shipyard and is constructing a $2.5 billion solar facility in Georgia, bolstered by a U.S. government loan guarantee. While these projects are welcomed in Washington, they are stirring unease in Seoul. Economists warn that the steady outflow of factories risks undermining Korea’s capacity to sustain growth in high-value industries. Without strong support for research and development at home, they say, the country could find itself hosting global headquarters in name only while production — and eventually innovation — shifts abroad. The issue is expected to feature in the upcoming Korea-U.S. summit talks, where new investment pledges are likely. But in Korea, calls are mounting for tax credits and industrial policies to keep advanced R&D anchored onshore before the country’s role as a manufacturing powerhouse erodes further. 2025-08-25 10:41:58
What awaits Lee at his first summit with Trump SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung is set to hold his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday. The summit, which comes nearly three months after taking office in early June, would be his first major test in bilateral relations, at a time when both leaders are navigating the early stages of their terms and reassessing their foreign policy priorities for years to come. After wrapping up his visit to Tokyo last Sunday, where he met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to further bolster shuttle diplomacy between the two neighbors, Lee headed straight to Washington for his first meeting with the leader of South Korea's closest ally, which comes a bit later than his predecessors. Although Lee briefly attended a multilateral gathering in Canada shortly after his inauguration on June 4, his summit with Trump technically marks his official debut on the international diplomatic scene. All eyes are on the summit, whose outcome is likely to reshape South Korea's partnership with the U.S. on regional security and economic cooperation. But major challenges await him, with the summit holding particular importance as it takes place amid escalating global trade wars and rising protectionism fueled by Trump's sweeping tariff policies under his "America First" mantra. One of the major issues Lee immediately faces is a follow-up to a recent tariff deal, in which Seoul and Washington agreed last month to lower reciprocal tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent in return for massive investment and wider market opening. After months of arduous negotiations, the deal was struck at the last minute, just days before Trump's unilaterally-set Aug. 1 deadline. But in an indication of difficulties ahead, Trump hinted that further adjustments could follow, saying the deal's "sum will be announced" when Lee visits the White House, despite calling it a "full and complete" agreement. At the time, trade negotiators from both countries, for some reason, left out security and defense matters during their negotiations, unlike initial expectations of a broader package deal covering all issues under Trump's "one-stop shopping strategy." That would now require Lee and Trump to finalize additional details of the deal at the summit, while also discussing a wide range of issues from bilateral cooperation and defense cost-sharing to joint efforts for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula in response to North Korea's growing nuclear arsenal and other regional conflicts. At the center of the discussions would be Trump's push for South Korea to pay more for the upkeep of some 28,500 U.S. troops stationed here, even though the two sides had already reached an agreement under the previous administrations with Seoul shouldering US$1.03 billion annually. The agreement is scheduled to take effect next year and remain in place until 2030, with annual adjustments based on consumer price inflation. But Trump has repeatedly raised the issue, claiming that South Korea is paying "very little" for the upkeep and arguing that Seoul should contribute more for its own defense. Furthermore, Washington continues to signal that its allies should play a stronger role in regional security and take greater responsibility for collective defense. Revealing a "leaked" draft of negotiations for the trade deal, the U.S. daily Washington Post recently reported that Washington "wanted Seoul to boost defense spending to 3.8 percent of GDP, up from 2.6 percent last year, and to increase its $1 billion-plus contribution to cover the annual costs of basing the roughly 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea." In this sense, Trump is likely to push Seoul for a steep increase in the upkeep of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and other contributions, while also urging it to embrace more "flexibility" in the USFK's evolving posture toward broader regional security in the Indo-Pacific, which is believed to be intended to keep China's growing influence in check. During a press conference at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province earlier this month, the USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said that what matters is enhancing capabilities rather than adjusting troop levels, explaining the U.S.' "strategic flexibility" as the "ability to place your forces in space and time as needed." He added, "One of the things I think about is not about numbers at all. I think about capabilities," emphasizing the need for "changes within USFK." Brunson's remarks may raise discussions about possible changes in the role of the USFK as one of the key topics on the summit's agenda within the broader framework of "modernizing" the bilateral alliance, as Washington seeks to expand the scope of U.S. troops' presence here beyond defending against North Korean threats. With many pressing issues on the table, the success of Lee's first major diplomatic outing to the U.S. would depend on how he effectively fends off any additional demands from an erratic hard-bargainer like Trump, who has a reputation for his dealmaking skills, and whether they can reach agreements that are mutually beneficial, instead of one-sided concessions. The true test is whether Lee can live up to his commitment to prioritize national interests, as he has preached through his so-called "pragmatic diplomacy." After concluding the summit with Trump, Lee will travel to Pennsylvania the following day to tour a shipyard in Philadelphia operated by South Korean conglomerate Hanwha, which it acquired last year for $100 million, accompanied by an entourage of business leaders and other officials. Including such an itinerary appears to be related to the trade deal, which negotiators say was concluded largely due to Seoul's proposal dubbed "MASGA" (Make America Shipbuilding Great Again). That includes a pledge to invest $150 billion to revitalize the American shipbuilding industry over the coming years, as part of a massive $350 billion investment in the U.S., along with the purchase of $100 billion worth of liquefied natural gas and other energy products. Lee returns home on Thursday. 2025-08-25 08:23:34
Lee and Ishiba share hometown dishes at Tokyo dinner while emphasizing cooperation SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru shared hometown dishes at a dinner in Tokyo on Saturday, shortly after their summit, underscoring a cooperative tone, South Korea's Presidential Office said Sunday. National Security Director Wi Seong-rak said on August 24 that the meal was held in a friendly atmosphere at the prime minister’s residence. The leaders were joined by their spouses. From South Korea, Wi and Presidential Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom attended. From Japan, Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tachibana Keiichiro were present. The menu paired specialties from both leaders' home regions. The table featured "Ishiba-style" curry, Andong jjimdak, a traditional Korean menu with chicken, glass noodles, and vegetables simmered in a soy sauce-based stew-like sauce, Andong soju, and beer from Tottori Prefecture. The courses also included sake, Korean-style grilled eel with kimchi garnish, and white peaches from Okayama, reflecting President Lee’s preference for peaches. Wi said the selection of Andong soju and Tottori beer appeared intended to emphasize cooperation and reconciliation. During the meal, Ishiba said he ate curry often during his college years. Lee replied, "I can picture a young Prime Minister Ishiba eating curry while listening to the Japanese girl group Candies." Lee added, "Because Prime Minister Ishiba likes Korean ramen, I tried to bring every ramen on the market, but I gave up because of the volume." Ishiba told Lee he had read the Japanese translation of Lee's autobiographical essay "I Came This Far Because I Had That Dream" and asked him to sign it. The leaders also spoke while looking into photos of Andong sites, including Hahoe Village, Dosan Seowon, and Wolyeonggyo. The conversation turned to political life and public communication. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said in a statement that both leaders noted that they were not mainstream politicians, yet rose to office after setbacks. Ishiba said, "I cannot sleep because I am replying late into the night to messages people send." Lee responded, "I am also busy sending messages, but I mostly send texts to instruct people to work." Ishiba noted that during the Edo period, the Joseon Tongsinsa played an important role. The official envoy missions were sent by the Joseon Dynasty court to Japan during the Edo period, active mainly from 1607 to 1811, to maintain peace, resume trade, and promote cultural exchange. Lee emphasized the value of shuttle diplomacy. After dinner, the two couples moved with only interpreters to a tatami room and talked for about 30 minutes over an after-dinner drink. Wi also described how the joint press document, released after the two leaders' summit meetings, was produced. He said initial coordination did not include a joint text because of the tight timetable. After reviewing the plan, President Lee directed aides to pursue a joint document with Japan, and the two sides agreed to and released a joint statement. Wi added that full joint declarations are typically issued during state visits, such as the 1998 Kim Dae Jung and Obuchi declaration or the 2003 Roh Moo Hyun and Koizumi declaration, and that this trip was a working visit. The joint statement, the first one that was issued after a South Korea-Japan summit in 17 years, set clear priorities. It pledged expanded cooperation in future industries such as hydrogen and artificial intelligence and launched a bilateral consultative body to address shared social challenges including low birth rates, aging populations, metropolitan area concentration, agriculture, and disaster safety. On security, it reaffirmed complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, close coordination on North Korea policy, continued enforcement of United Nations Security Council sanctions, and the need to respond together to deepening Russia-North Korea military ties. It also called for the resumption of shuttle diplomacy, more youth exchanges through working holiday programs, and cooperation on the APEC summit in Gyeongju in October and the Korea-Japan-China leaders' meeting to be chaired by Japan. The document recorded Prime Minister Ishiba’s statement that his cabinet inherits prior positions on historical recognition, including the 1998 Kim Dae Jung and Obuchi declaration. 2025-08-24 17:58:29
South Korean troops fire warning shots as North Korean soldiers cross MDL SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) - South Korean troops fired warning shots after more than 30 North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Aug. 19, the United Nations Command (UNC) confirmed Sunday. The MDL, drawn under the 1953 armistice, runs through the center of the DMZ, a 250-kilometer-long buffer separating the two Koreas. Unauthorized crossings are unusual and are considered serious violations of the armistice. According to the UNC, the North Korean soldiers had been carrying out construction and repair work when they stepped across the line. South Korean forces issued repeated loudspeaker warnings but received no response, leading them to fire warning shots. The soldiers then moved back to the northern side. The UNC said its Military Armistice Commission began an investigation immediately after the incident. It noted that North Korea had notified the command in advance about its work in the zone, describing such prior communication as "valuable in reducing the risk of misunderstandings and unintended incidents." The UNC added that it remains prepared to talk with the North about this and other issues. The statement came after North Korea accused South Korea of a "dangerous provocation," claiming troops fired more than 10 rounds from a 12.7-millimeter machine gun at its soldiers near the border. Ko Jeong-chol, deputy chief of the North’s General Staff, urged the South to "immediately stop reckless military actions that could trigger clashes along the southern border." South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that warning shots were fired, saying that around 3 p.m. on August 19, North Korean soldiers crossed the MDL in the central sector before returning north. 2025-08-24 15:45:00
Lee heads to Washington with clear agenda on tariffs, security and nuclear fuel pact talks SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung left Japan on August 24 after his summit with Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and is now en route to Washington for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday. According to South Korean diplomatic sources on August 23, Seoul and Washington are drafting a joint statement that would say the two sides will begin discussions and technical studies on amending the bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement. The draft text would state that these talks will include South Korea's request to discuss the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. Until the leaders issue the statement or say it on the record, this remains unconfirmed. The summit's confirmed and likely agenda items are as follows. The leaders will review the tariff deal outlined in late July. They will discuss broader economic coordination. Alliance issues are on the table, including the strategic flexibility of U.S. military forces in South Korea. Ministers prepared these topics in Washington this week. Foreign Minister Cho-hyun and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Energy Secretary Chris Wright on August 22. Background on the nuclear file is straightforward. The current U.S.–ROK nuclear cooperation agreement was revised in 2015 and runs until 2035. Under this agreement, South Korea needs U.S. consent even to enrich uranium below twenty percent. South Korea is not allowed to reprocess spent nuclear fuel. Limited research on pyroprocessing, a recycling method that does not produce weapons usable material, is permitted. These restrictions do not apply in the U.S.–Japan arrangement. South Korea's goal is to complete the nuclear fuel cycle at home. Seoul argues that gaining latitude on enrichment and reprocessing would secure fuel supply for its reactor exports, reduce pressure on interim storage that is nearing capacity, and strengthen resilience as the country faces North Korea's nuclear threat. Washington has been cautious because reprocessing can produce plutonium that could be diverted to weapons. That concern sits at the core of U.S. nonproliferation policy. Even if the two presidents announce the start of talks, it is not yet clear how far the U.S. will go toward endorsing South Korea's position. South Korean officials say they have worked to create room for progress at leader level. "We have worked to amend the agreement, and we intend to make progress through this summit," South Korea's National Security Director Wi Seong-rak told reporters before the trip. Lee's U.S. itinerary includes a business roundtable, a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a visit to Philadelphia's Philly Shipyard on Tuesday before returning home. 2025-08-24 14:57:20