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  Pulmuone logs record Q1 on overseas turnaround SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - South Korean food maker Pulmuone reported its strongest-ever first-quarter results, lifted by steady gains at home and a long-awaited turnaround at its overseas units, particularly in the United States. According to regulatory filings released Friday, revenue climbed 7.2 percent from a year earlier to 850.4 billion won ($566.6 million) in the January to March period, while operating profit surged 68.9 percent to 19 billion won. The company said that its earn May 15, 2026
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  Hanwha signs teaming agreement with Milrem Robotics for Romanian UGV program SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - Hanwha Aerospace has signed a teaming agreement with Estonia’s Milrem Robotics to jointly pursue Romania’s unmanned ground vehicle program, as the South Korean defense firm seeks to expand its presence in the European market. The agreement was signed during the Black Sea Defense & Aerospace, or BSDA 2026, exhibition in Bucharest by Hanwha Aerospace, its Romanian subsidiary Hanwha Aerospace Romania and Milrem Robotics, Hanwha Aerospace said Frida May 15, 2026
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  Orion's Q1 operating profit jumps 26% on robust overseas sales SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - South Korean confectioner Orion announced that its first-quarter operating profit climbed 26 percent from a year earlier to 165.5 billion won ($109.9 million), powered by brisk demand at its overseas subsidiaries. Consolidated revenue rose 16 percent to 930.4 billion won in the January to March period, according to a regulatory filing released Friday. Orion, the country's second-largest snack maker and the original producer of Choco Pie, said overseas units May 15, 2026
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  Asia's next harvest held hostage by the drawn-out Hormuz disruption SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - The Middle East war that began with oil is now squeezing Asia's soil. Nearly three months into the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the disruption that first hit refineries and shipping desks is migrating into rice paddies, urea silos and government budgets across a continent that feeds more than half the world's population. About one-third of global seaborne fertilizer trade and roughly 35 to 45 percent of world urea exports normally pass through the n May 15, 2026
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  Seoul to unveil nuclear-powered submarine roadmap as early as this month SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - South Korea is expected to unveil a roadmap for its nuclear-powered submarine program as early as the end of this month, government sources said Friday. The move is seen as an attempt by Seoul to present its own timeline for the long-sought project, as follow-up talks with Washington have been slow. The Ministry of National Defense, which leads an interagency task force on the issue, is expected to announce the plan, though the exact timing has yet to be fin May 15, 2026
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  Government signals emergency powers as Samsung strike clock ticks SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics and its overarching labor union are waging a war of nerves to settle their dispute on their own under competing deadlines, as the government signals it may invoke a rarely used emergency strike suspension authority. The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), the company’s largest labor group, sent an official letter to Vice Chairman and Device Solutions chief Jun Young-hyun on Thursday, giving management until 10 a.m. Friday to p May 15, 2026
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  Samyang Foods promotes Buldak architect Kim Jung-soo to chair SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - Samyang Foods announced that its board has elevated Vice Chair Kim Jung-soo, the executive widely credited with creating its globally popular Buldak instant noodles, to chair effective June 1, as the company tightens its grip on a fast-expanding overseas business. The promotion is Kim's first since she became vice chair in December 2021. Kim joined the noodle maker during the 1998 financial crisis and launched the Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen, or Buldak, brand May 15, 2026
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  Air Force chief to accelerate F-5 phaseout, prepare manned-unmanned combat systems SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Son Seok-rak said South Korea will accelerate the phaseout of its aging F-5 fighter jets from 2030 to 2027, as the Air Force prepares to shift toward manned-unmanned combat systems. “We are preparing to withdraw the F-5 fighter jets from service before the end of next year,” Son said during a meeting with defense ministry correspondents in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on Wednesday. The F-5 has long served as one of t May 14, 2026
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  Korean arms gain strategic role as Southeast Asia balances US-China rivalry SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - Southeast Asian countries are increasingly turning to South Korean weapons as they seek to modernize their militaries while navigating the intensifying rivalry between the United States and China. The trend is drawing growing attention as Washington expands its Indo-Pacific security operations beyond the Korean Peninsula and Japan, while Southeast Asian nations continue pursuing flexible defense ties with both major powers. According to industry sources, som May 14, 2026
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  How Korea's jogging craze became Samsung's Asian health gambit SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - South Koreans are lacing up in record numbers — and they're taking their smartwatches with them. Walk through Seoul on any weekend morning and the evidence is everywhere: colour-coordinated running crews streaming through Han River parks, Strava segments being contested with the intensity of corporate quarterly targets, and, at every major sports retailer, empty shelves. "During marathon season, running attire and gear are completely s May 14, 2026