Korea exceeds $90 billion in export SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - South Korea's exports topped $90 billion for a third straight month in August, as record semiconductor shipments offset weaker sales of cars and ships, the trade ministry said Tuesday. Exports rose 68.7 percent from a year earlier to $98.25 billion, while imports climbed 22.5 percent to $63.51 billion, leaving a trade surplus of $34.75 billion, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said. The surplus stayed above $30 billion for a third co September 1, 2026

South Korea to impose antidumping duties on Chinese butyl acrylate SEOUL, September 1 (AJP) - South Korea will impose antidumping duties on butyl acrylate imported from China for five years starting later this month, the Ministry of Finance and Economy said on Tuesday. The duties, which will take effect on Sept. 28, will range from 8.32 percent to 19.17 percent and remain in place through Sept. 27, 2031. The measure follows an investigation by the Korea Trade Commission that began in September last year after LG Chem filed a complaint. The commi September 1, 2026

Korea adds semiconductors to export control list SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - South Korea added high-performance AI chips and advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment to its strategic export control list Tuesday, requiring exporters to obtain government approval before shipping the items overseas. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said the revised Public Notice on Strategic Goods Export and Import took effect the same day. The revision reflects more than 80 changes agreed under four international export contr September 1, 2026

LG Energy Solution signs long-term supply deal with US lithium developer SEOUL, September 1 (AJP) - LG Energy Solution (LGES) has signed a long-term supply contract with a U.S. lithium developer, it said on Tuesday. Under the contract with Smackover Lithium, a joint venture formed by U.S. lithium developer Standard Lithium and Norwegian state owned energy company Equinor, LGES will receive a total of 80,000 tons of lithium carbonate over 10 years starting in 2029, when Smackover Lithium begins full-scale production. The amount is enough to make batt September 1, 2026

Unionized workers at Hyundai Motor reach wage deal SEOUL, September 1 (AJP) - Unionized workers at Hyundai Motor have reached a wage agreement for this year, ending months of labor tensions that disrupted production at South Korea's largest automaker. In a vote on Monday, 61.55 percent of the 31,166 union members who cast ballots voted in favor of the agreement, the union said on Tuesday. The union has about 39,000 members in total. Under the new wage deal, workers will receive a 100,000 won (US$73) increase in monthly base September 1, 2026

Japan beckons as SK hynix weighs next memory-chip hub SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - SK hynix, fresh from breaking ground on a more than $4 billion HBM packaging plant in the United States, is weighing Japan as a possible next overseas production base as surging AI demand pushes the South Korean memory giant to widen its manufacturing footprint. "We are in the process of studying. As soon as we finish, I'll let you know," SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won told reporters in Japan on Monday when asked about potential investment in August 31, 2026

Two Koreas reshuffle military command for very different battles SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - South and North Korea are reshaping their military leadership at the same time, but for markedly different challenges. Seoul is turning back to a career general to steady an institution unsettled by contentious reforms, while Pyongyang is tightening party control for stronger push into weapons modernization. President Lee Jae Myung's nomination of retired four-star Gen. Kang Shin-chul as defense minister effectively puts a career military officer back in August 31, 2026

G-Star 2026 launches promotional push with first pop-up store SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - South Korea's largest gaming exhibition, G-Star 2026, has begun a pre-opening marketing campaign, unveiling a new "Special Pass" bundle and its first-ever pop-up store, as the country's game industry seeks to broaden its appeal beyond core players. The committee announced Monday that it will open the pop-up store from Sept. 1 to 6 at the Hyundai Department Store's Pangyo branch, south of Seoul, marking the first time the annual show has August 31, 2026

Humanoids can beat Bolt. The harder race starts on the factory floor SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - A humanoid robot ran 100 meters in 8.64 seconds at Beijing's World Humanoid Robot Games last week, nearly a full second faster than Usain Bolt's world record. Except that it kept going. Tiangong Ultra hurtled past the finish line, slammed into a padded barrier and crashed to the floor in a shower of sparks, leaving staff to rush in with fire extinguishers before the machine was carried away. Impressive as the machines are, much of humanoid robotic August 31, 2026

Samsung Heavy Industries secures new order after surpassing annual target SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - Samsung Heavy Industries has secured an additional order for two container ships, the shipbuilder said on Monday. According to the shipbuilder, it signed a contract with an Africa-based shipping company to build two container ships worth 444.5 billion won (US$324 million), with the vessels scheduled for delivery in stages by December 2028. With the latest deal, the company’s merchant ship orders this year rose to 36 vessels worth $6.1 billion, s August 31, 2026