Signiel Busan named Asia's 'leading beach hotel' for second consecutive year SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Signiel Busan in South Korea's southern port city of Busan has been named Asia's "Leading Beach Hotel" for the second consecutive year, the luxury hotel said on Wednesday. The recognition came from the World Travel Awards, which has selected winners through votes cast by travel experts and industry professionals across more than 160 countries since 1993. Located near Haeundae Beach, the hotel is praised for its panoramic ocean views f October 15, 2025

Hyundai to face massive tariff costs if US maintains 25% rate on car exports SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor could face massive annual costs of more than 8 trillion won if the U.S. maintains a 25-percent tariff on exports of its vehicles, according to a report by NICE Credit Rating. The report estimated Hyundai's annual tariff burden at 8.4 trillion won if South Korea remains subject to a 25-percent rate, compared to 15 percent for the European Union and Japan. This would make Hyundai's costs the highest among major global automakers, surpa October 15, 2025

KOSPI loses early gains as Asian stocks retreat on trade war flare-up SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - South Korea’s record-setting morning session turned into broad selling by the close, as investors across Asia recoiled from a new chapter in the U.S.–China trade conflict. The benchmark KOSPI slipped 0.63 percent to 3,561.81, after hitting an intraday record high of 3,637.45 earlier in the day. The Kosdaq also dropped 1.46 percent to 847.96. Samsung Electronics, which spearheaded the morning rally on record-breaking third-quarter results, f October 14, 2025

Naver Webtoon steals NY Comic Con show with Disney and BOOM extended family SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - Naver Webtoon can no longer be seen as an exotic newcomer from Korea after its standout showing at the 2025 New York Comic Con (NYCC), held at the Javits Center in New York City from Oct. 9 to 12. One of the largest pop culture conventions in the United States, NYCC celebrates comics, graphic novels, animation, film, and television, drawing more than 200,000 fans from around the world each year. Webtoon's presence this year embodied everything the October 14, 2025

Korean petrochemical players mull exit from ever-crowding money-losing market SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - South Korean petrochemical producers are opting to bow out of the China-dominant game as they struggle to stay afloat despite government-mandated streamlining and output controls. SKC and Kuwait's Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) are reportedly seeking a buyer for their combined stake in joint venture SK picglobal, as market woes from Chinese oversupply and Middle Eastern competition have spilled over from basic petrochemicals to downstream produc October 14, 2025

Samsung Electronics to gift stock-tied compensation for employees SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics will grant company shares to employees tied to its stock performance over the next three years, the Korean tech giant announced Tuesday in an internal notice following record quarterly sales in the third quarter. The program, called Performance Stock Units (PSU), is designed to motivate employees by linking long-term compensation to the company’s future performance and share price growth. Unlike the company’s existing annua October 14, 2025

Samsung Elec's record-setting Q3 results signal strongest-yet chip boom SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - Despite lingering doubts over the durability and scope of the so-called AI-fueled chip supercycle, Samsung Electronics’ record-setting earnings guidance for the third quarter has set a new benchmark for the ongoing semiconductor boom. The South Korean tech giant on Tuesday projected an operating profit of 12.1 trillion won ($9.1 billion) for the July–September period, more than doubling from the previous quarter and marking the strongest quart October 14, 2025

KT, Palantir CEOs meet in Seoul to deepen AI partnership SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - South Korean telecom company KT said Tuesday its chief executive, Kim Young-seop, met with Alex Karp, the CEO of U.S. data analytics firm Palantir Technologies, in Seoul to discuss ways to expand the use of Palantir’s artificial intelligence platforms across South Korean industries. The meeting, held at KT’s headquarters in Gwanghwamun, centered on how to implement Palantir’s technology for local businesses in sectors ranging from fina October 14, 2025

China sanctions five Hanwha Ocean subsidiaries in US SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - The Chinese government said on Tuesday it had imposed sanctions on five U.S.-based subsidiaries of Hanwha Ocean, a South Korean shipbuilding company, in retaliation for a U.S. investigation into China’s maritime and shipbuilding industries. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the move was a direct response to Washington’s Section 301 investigation, which Beijing described as “a violation of international economic and trade rules&rdqu October 14, 2025

Top touring car drivers to compete in Inje of South Korea Oct. 18-19 SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor will co-host the Inje World Touring Car Festival with Inje County in Gangwon Province this weekend, marking the first time South Korea will host the FIA TCR World Tour, one of the world’s premier touring car championships. The two-day event, set for Oct. 18–19 at the Inje Speedium, will combine three major races — the Hyundai N Festival, the FIA TCR World Tour, and TCR Asia — turning the circuit into a global stage October 14, 2025