Asian shares mostly higher early Wed; KOSPI and Nikkei lead on chip momentum SEOUL, October 29 (AJP) - Asian markets were mostly higher early Wednesday, with Seoul and Tokyo continuing to set the pace for the region on the back of strong third-quarter earnings and ongoing enthusiasm for AI-related chips. Sentiment was also supported ahead of a potential U.S. Federal Reserve rate cut expected at this week’s FOMC meeting. Korea’s benchmark KOSPI rose 0.7 percent to hover around 4,040 after jumping 1.27 percent earlier, driven by a fresh rally in October 29, 2025

Kia's electric van sets Guinness World Record for longest drive on single charge SEOUL, October 29 (AJP) - South Korean automaker Kia said on Wednesday that its PV5 Cargo electric van has set a Guinness World Record for the longest distance traveled by a light commercial electric vehicle on a single charge, covering 693.38 kilometers, or about 431 miles, while carrying a full load. “The Guinness World Record achieved by the PV5 Cargo demonstrates Kia’s vision to provide new mobility solutions beyond transportation,” said Song Ho-sung, the c October 29, 2025

UPDATE: SK hynix reaps record $8 billion Q3 OP, gears up for aggressive capex (Updated with comments from conference call) SEOUL, October 29 (AJP) - SK hynix plans to “significantly” ramp up facility investment next year after reporting a milestone operating profit of $8 billion in the third quarter, reinforcing its ambition to stay at the forefront of the global AI transition and ride what it calls an “unprecedented super cycle.” The Korean memory giant on Wednesday reported an operating profit of 11.38 trillion won ($ October 29, 2025

Asian shares broadly down Tuesday as Seoul, Tokyo retreat on profit-taking SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - Asian markets ended mostly lower on Tuesday, with Korea and Japan pulling back after their record-setting rally in the previous session. Korea’s benchmark KOSPI fell 0.8 percent to close at 4,010.41, pressured by heavy foreign selling. Overseas investors offloaded 1.64 trillion won ($1.14 billion) worth of shares, while retail investors bought 1.57 trillion won and domestic institutions added 311.4 billion won, signaling broad profit-taking after a October 28, 2025

Wemade rolls out 'Legend of YMIR' worldwide, blending epic battles with crypto rewards SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - South Korean game developer Wemade announced on Tuesday the global launch of its new multiplayer online role-playing game, Legend of YMIR. The game is now available in 170 countries, excluding South Korea and China. Set in a mythical world torn apart after the fall of the gods, Legend of YMIR follows warriors fighting to restore order amid chaos. Players can engage in large-scale server battles and experience a new “Partners Server” model, w October 28, 2025

KOSPI and Nikkei standout winners as foreign funds pivot away from U.S. market SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - Seoul and Tokyo exchanges shed their longstanding labels of "Korea bargain" and "lost decades" this year, emerging as the world's two best-performing markets as global capital rotates out of an overheated U.S. equity space and into Asia's two technology powerhouses. According to Japan's Ministry of Finance, foreign investors bought ¥7.53 trillion ($49.9 billion) worth of Japanese equities in the week ending Oct. October 28, 2025

DB Insurance to acquire Florida-based insurer Fortegra in $1.65 billion deal SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - DB Insurance said on Tuesday that it had agreed to acquire Fortegra Group, a Florida-based specialty insurer, for $1.65 billion, marking the first time a South Korean insurance company has purchased a U.S. insurer. The deal, valued at about 2.3 trillion won, represents the largest overseas acquisition by a South Korean insurer to date. The sellers are Tiptree Inc., Fortegra’s parent company, and the private equity firm Warburg Pincus. The transact October 28, 2025

Hyundai E&C completes major phase of Iraq's Basra refinery project SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - South Korea's Hyundai Engineering & Construction said on Tuesday that it has completed key construction work at the Basra refinery in southern Iraq and begun test operations. Awarded to Hyundai E&C in 2020, the 2 trillion won ($1.4 billion) project is expected to be fully completed early next year. Located about 450 kilometers southeast of Baghdad, the upgraded facility will produce 24,000 barrels of gasoline per day using residues from crud October 28, 2025

South Korea opens direct air route to Indonesia's diving paradise Manado SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - Eastar Jet has become the first South Korean airline to launch direct flights between Incheon and Manado, Indonesia, which is famed for its crystal-clear waters, coral reefs, and rich biodiversity. The budget carrier began operating the new route on Oct. 26, with four weekly flights scheduled through mid-December. Starting Dec. 16, the service will increase to daily operations. Tickets and travel packages are now available through local travel agencies, October 28, 2025

South Korea's CJ ENM eyes one-stop platform for K-pop fans worldwide SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - CJ ENM, one of South Korea’s largest entertainment companies, is betting that K-pop’s next wave of global expansion will happen not just on stage, but on screens. The company announced plans to turn its digital platform Mnet Plus into a global “fanteractive” hub — blending content, fandom, and commerce for the hyper-connected generations of Gen Z and Alpha. At a Culture TALK event in Seoul, Tuesday, CJ ENM said Mnet Plus October 28, 2025