Industry

  • KRW falls to weakest in 7 mo as forex data implies limited room for Seoul to defend currency
    KRW falls to weakest in 7 mo as forex data implies limited room for Seoul to defend currency SEOUL, November 05 (AJP) - The South Korean won’s recovery — fueled by the Korea-U.S. trade deal during APEC week and a bullish stock market — proved short-lived as the U.S. dollar climbed to a seven-month high amid renewed concerns over frothy AI-related stocks. The dollar hit 1,446.3 won on Wednesday, its strongest level since April, as foreign investors dumped more than 2 trillion won worth of KOSPI shares as of 2:00 p.m., dragging the benchmark index down mor November 5, 2025
  • Bear returns to the Asian market on AI bubble concerns
    Bear returns to the Asian market on AI bubble concerns SEOUL, November 05 (AJP) - Asian stocks slumped Wednesday as a wave of bearish sentiment swept through regional markets. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index plunged 4.1 percent to 3,950.96, falling back below the 4,000 mark just seven trading days after breaking it for the first time in history. The small-cap KOSDAQ tumbled even further, down 4.4 percent to 886.00. The downturn was led by heavyweight chipmakers. Samsung Electronics dropped 5.5 percent to 99,100 won ($68), w November 5, 2025
  • BMW overtakes Tesla as top-selling imported car brand in South Korea
    BMW overtakes Tesla as top-selling imported car brand in South Korea SEOUL, November 05 (AJP) - BMW has overtaken Tesla to become South Korea’s best-selling imported car brand, as demand for foreign-made vehicles continued to rise this year despite a slowdown in October sales. According to data released Wednesday by the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA), registrations of new imported passenger cars totaled 24,064 in October, up 13.2 percent from a year earlier. The figure, however, marked a 26.7 percent decli November 5, 2025
  • South Korean, Japanese firms consider joint venture for next-generation chip materials
    South Korean, Japanese firms consider joint venture for next-generation chip materials SEOUL, November 05 (AJP) - Samsung Electro-Mechanics said on Wednesday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical Group to explore establishing a joint venture for producing glass cores, a key component in next-generation semiconductor packages. The agreement comes as they are seeking to strengthen their foothold in the fast-evolving semiconductor packaging industry, where new materials are increasingly critical to supporting artificial November 5, 2025
  • South Koreas stock market rides early wave of AI-driven supercycle
    South Korea's stock market rides early wave of AI-driven supercycle SEOUL, November 05 (AJP) - South Korea’s stock market appears to be entering the early stages of what analysts are calling an artificial intelligence–driven “supercycle,” as investors pour into semiconductor, robotics, and infrastructure shares amid growing optimism about the country’s role in the global AI boom. The rally gained momentum following recent international events such as the APEC summit and Nvidia’s AI conference, both of which un November 5, 2025
  • Viral K-beauty powered by rich foundation palette for every skin tone
    Viral K-beauty powered by rich foundation palette for every skin tone SEOUL, November 04 (AJP) - “You guys have no idea how happy I am right now — it’s literally perfect. I can finally use their cushion foundation,” said @MissDarcei, a beauty influencer with more than 800,000 YouTube followers. Her excitement reflects a growing wave of international consumers who say Korean cushion foundations now work just as well on darker skin tones as they do on lighter ones. The secret behind the viral rise of K-beauty lies in its fast-e November 4, 2025
  • Four out of ten Korean tech workers eye work abroad as firms vie to keep them home
    Four out of ten Korean tech workers eye work abroad as firms vie to keep them home SEOUL, November 04 (AJP) - Four out of ten South Koreans employed in science and engineering say they want to work abroad in pursuit of higher compensation and better social recognition, underscoring the talent pressures Korean companies face as global competition intensifies in AI and IT. A recent Bank of Korea study found that 42.9 percent of salaried STEM-degree holders are considering relocating overseas within the next three years, and the share rises to about 70 percent amo November 4, 2025
  • Asian markets retreat as regional winners KOSPI and Nikkei give way to profit-taking
    Asian markets retreat as regional winners KOSPI and Nikkei give way to profit-taking SEOUL, November 04 (AJP) - Asian stocks fell across the board Tuesday as profit-taking swept through the region, with South Korea’s KOSPI posting the steepest loss among major Asian benchmarks and Japan’s Nikkei 225 also tumbling sharply. South Korea’s KOSPI slid 2.37 percent to close at 4,121.74, wiping out the previous day’s gains. Foreign investors dumped 2.2 trillion won ($1.5 billion) worth of shares, joined by institutional investors who offloaded 498 November 4, 2025
  • Game developer Krafton posts robust revenue in Q3
    Game developer Krafton posts robust revenue in Q3 SEOUL, November 4 (AJP) - Game developer Krafton has posted a hefty 870.6 billion Korean won (US$605 million) in its third-quarter revenues, up 21 percent from a year earlier, driven by robust growth in its PC and mobile gaming operations. According to a regulatory filing released on Tuesday, the maker of "PUBG: Battlegrounds" saw its quarterly operating profit rise 7.5 percent year-on-year to 348.6 billion won. The strong quarterly performance pushed nine-month cumulat November 4, 2025
  • Korean streamer TVING to launch K-content hub on Disney+ in Japan
    Korean streamer TVING to launch K-content hub on Disney+ in Japan SEOUL, November 04 (AJP) - South Korean streaming platform, TVING, said Tuesday it has formed a partnership with Disney+ to enter the Japanese market. TVING said it will launch the “TVING Collection on Disney+” in Japan, offering a curated lineup of original Korean series, including Transit Love, Pyramid Game, and Yumi’s Cells, along with other popular titles from CJ ENM, its parent company. Japan is one of the world’s largest and most competitive stre November 4, 2025