news highlight

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  Seoul readying to redraw energy map with Hormuz substitutes in postwar order SEOUL, April 10 (AJP) - It remains uncertain whether — or how — the war will wind down and the Strait of Hormuz will fully reopen after U.S.-Iran negotiations in Pakistan on Saturday. But one thing is already clear: access to the strategic waterway along Iran and Oman will not return to what it was. Against those odds — and the rising cost burden — Seoul is moving to rethink its energy routes. A presidential envoy mission to Kazakhstan, Oman and Saudi Arabia April 10, 2026
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  Hyundai unveils two Ioniq concepts in Beijing SEOUL, April 10 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor's two concept cars for electric vehicles have been unveiled at a three-day event in Beijing, the automaker said on Friday. The event, which kicked off last Tuesday, was held to mark the launch of its flagship Ioniq brand in the world's most populous country. Stressing that it has "invested years in preparing" the brand to meet the demand and tastes of Chinese customers, it explained that Ioniq "evolves beyond a traditional April 10, 2026
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  K9 howitzers expand in Europe with additional orders from Finland SEOUL, April 10 (AJP) -South Korea will export an additional 112 K9 self-propelled howitzers to Finland under a government-to-government (G2G) deal valued at 546 million euros ($634 million), marking a follow-up order from the Nordic country after its initial purchase in 2017. The agreement was signed in Helsinki between the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, representing the Korean government, and Finland’s defense ministry, according to the Defense Acquisition Progra April 10, 2026
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  Korean chipmakers push long-term deals as AI demand overrides cycle SEOUL, April 09 (AJP) - The memory chip market is behaving less like a cycle and more like a contract. South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are moving to lock in multi-year supply agreements as artificial intelligence demand strengthens their leverage over pricing and terms. Memory has long been one of the most volatile segments of the semiconductor industry, with Random Access Memory (RAM) prices prone to sharp swings. But the rapid expansion of AI infrastruct April 9, 2026
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  HD Hyundai Heavy builds first ammonia-powered vessel, signaling shift in green shipping fuel race SEOUL, April 09 (AJP) - HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has built the world’s first ammonia-powered gas carriers, marking a significant step toward commercializing next-generation eco-friendly vessels. According to shipbuilding industry sources Thursday, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries held a naming ceremony at its Ulsan shipyard for two 46,000-cubic-meter medium-sized gas carriers equipped with dual-fuel engines. The vessels are designed to run on ammonia and liquefied petroleum gas April 9, 2026
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  HMM union moves toward industrial action over headquarters relocation SEOUL, April 09 (AJP) - Labor-management negotiations at HMM over the planned relocation of its headquarters have collapsed, raising the prospect of industrial action by the union. HMM’s land-based workers’ union said Thursday that talks with management regarding the headquarters relocation had broken down. The union added it plans to begin procedures for industrial action, including filing for mediation with the labor authorities. In a statement released the same day April 9, 2026
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  Kia to invest 49 trillion won by 2030 with nearly half for future mobility SEOUL, April 9 (AJP) - Kia will invest a record 49 trillion won (about U$32.67 billion) through 2030, allocating 21 trillion won or more than 40 percent to future-focused businesses such as electrification, autonomous driving and robotics, the automaker said on Thursday. The investment plan, unveiled at an investment blitz at the Shilla Hotel in central Seoul, is part of Kia's mid- to long-term strategy to transform into a sustainable mobility solutions company. It marks Kia' April 9, 2026
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  Hyundai Motor, Kia to report double-digit fall in Q1 income despite robust sales SEOUL, April 10 (AJP) – South Korea's top automakers Hyundai Motor and Kia are expected to deliver double-digit falls in their respective first-quarter operating profit on multiple whammies - U.S. tariffs, currency-driven cost pressures and recall-related expenses – despite robust sales. Hyundai Motor is projected to report operating profit of 2.94 trillion won ($2.0 billion) for the January–March period, down 19 percent from a year earlier, and its sister m April 9, 2026
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  Samsung Elec turns up 'warmth' in design as gadget prices turn cold SEOUL, April 09 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is painstakingly dialing up “warmth” in product design for its latest Galaxy lineup, seeking to soften consumer resistance as rising component costs push device prices higher and colder Unveiling the Galaxy S26 and Buds4 series on Thursday, the company’s design leadership emphasized a shift toward more intuitive, tactile and emotionally resonant products — a deliberate counterpoint to what executives acknowledged as April 9, 2026