Nearly 70% of departing KT subscribers switch to SK Telecom after fee waiver SEOUL, January 03 (AJP) - More than 30,000 subscribers have left KT in the three days following the company's decision to waive early termination fees, with around 70 percent of those switching to SK Telecom. According to industry sources on Saturday, a total of 31,634 subscribers left KT between Dec. 31 and Friday, averaging more than 10,000 departures per day. Of those, 26,192 moved to rival mobile carriers, including 18,720 — more than 70 percent — who switched January 3, 2026

Samsung Electronics to kick off earnings season with bumper Q4, signaling AI-driven boom SEOUL, January 02 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics will kick off the tech sector’s preliminary fourth-quarter earnings season next week, offering an early gauge of the scale of surging demand for memory chips amid aggressive stockpiling driven by the global AI boom. Market consensus compiled by FnGuide shows the South Korean tech giant is expected to post operating profit of about 15.5 trillion won (about $10.7 billion) for the quarter ended December, more than doubling the 6.49 January 2, 2026

Samsung Heavy wins $520 million order for two LNG carriers SEOUL, January 02 (AJP) - Samsung Heavy Industries said on Friday it has secured an order worth 721.1 billion won ($520 million) for two liquefied natural gas carriers. In a regulatory filing, the company said the contract was signed in December and that the vessels are scheduled for delivery in stages by September 2028. The name of the shipowner was not disclosed due to contractual confidentiality requirements, a common practice in shipbuilding deals involving commercial and January 2, 2026

Hyundai Group chair urges 'readiness' for inter-Korean exchanges SEOUL, January 02 (AJP) - As the Lee Jae Myung administration signals renewed efforts to ease tensions with North Korea, Hyundai Group Chair Hyun Jeong-eun said the conglomerate must be ready to act swiftly should conditions for inter-Korean economic cooperation improve. In a New Year’s message to employees on Friday, Hyun reaffirmed her support for engagement with North Korea, saying expectations are rising again for a thaw on the Korean Peninsula. She expressed hope f January 2, 2026

Hanwha chairman pledges AI defense push, deeper Korea-US shipbuilding ties SEOUL, January 02 (AJP) - South Korea's Hanwha Group is eager to strengthen its long-term competitiveness by securing core technologies in key businesses, including artificial intelligence-driven defense systems, while playing a leading role in South Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation, Chairman Kim Seung-youn said in a New Year's message on Friday. Kim said Hanwha had spearheaded bilateral industrial cooperation symbolized by the MASGA initiative and grown into a national January 2, 2026

South Korea splits economy ministry in major overhaul of economic governance SEOUL, January 02 (AJP) - South Korea on Friday formally split the Ministry of Economy and Finance into two separate ministries, a move the government says will strengthen fiscal discipline and policy accountability but that raises questions about coordination in economic crisis management. The reorganization creates the Ministry of Planning and Budget and the Ministry of Finance and Economy, separating budget authority from macroeconomic, financial and tax policy. The two minis January 2, 2026

Korea's growth reliant on IT sector as inflation risks linger: BOK chief SEOUL, January 02 (AJP) - South Korea’s economy would grow just 1.4 percent this year if the information technology sector were excluded, the country’s central bank chief said Friday, warning that uneven recovery across industries could leave households feeling worse off than headline growth figures suggest. Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong said in a New Year’s message that overall economic growth is projected at 1.8 percent this year, up from 1 percent January 2, 2026

Taiwan, Singapore surge on chip boom while Korea lags at 1% amid regulatory drag SEOUL, January 02 (AJP) -Taiwan and Singapore posted markedly stronger economic growth in 2025, powered by the global semiconductor boom, while South Korea lagged far behind despite being one of the world’s leading chip producers, highlighting the growing role of regulatory and policy conditions in shaping economic performance. Taiwan’s economy is projected to have expanded by 7.37 percent last year, according to last estimate by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accoun January 2, 2026

Hyundai Motor Group to showcase AI robotics strategy at CES 2026 SEOUL, January 02 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group plans to present robotics-centered visions for future mobility at CES 2026, highlighting a broader industry shift from vehicles toward robots and artificial intelligence, industry officials said Friday. Hyundai Motor Group will attend CES 2026, which opens next week in Las Vegas, where it will outline its core strategy for AI-driven robotics. A key highlight will be the first live demonstration of Atlas, the humanoid robot develop January 2, 2026

Tesla price cuts set to spur EV competition in South Korea SEOUL, January 02 (AJP) - Tesla’s decision to cut prices on key electric-vehicle models in South Korea is expected to intensify competition in the country’s EV market, as expanded government subsidies and the growing presence of imported brands put pressure on domestic automakers. The U.S. firm has discounted the Model 3 Performance all-wheel-drive version by up to 9 million won ($760), lowering its price below 60 million won, the threshold for eligibility for South January 2, 2026