Hyundai Motor signs strategic partnership with UK AI startup SEOUL, November 07 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group said on Friday that it has formed a strategic partnership with CuspAI, a British artificial intelligence startup, to accelerate the development of next-generation materials for mobility applications. The agreement was signed on Nov. 6 at CuspAI’s headquarters in Cambridge, England, where researchers are pioneering the use of generative AI, deep learning, and molecular simulation to design new materials with specific performanc November 7, 2025

South Korea's Lotte Chemical opens petrochemical complex in Indonesia SEOUL, November 07 (AJP) - South Korea's Lotte Chemical said on Friday that it has completed construction of a massive petrochemical complex in Cilegon, a port city in Indonesia’s Banten Province. A completion ceremony was held Thursday, attended by Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, Lotte Chemical Chief Executive Lee Young-joon and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. The facility — called the Lotte Chemical Indonesia New Ethylene Complex, or LINE — November 7, 2025

HOT STOCK: Hyosung Heavy flies to rank as most expensive KOSPI stock SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - The most expensive stock on Korea’s main bourse is no longer Samsung Electronics or Hyundai Motor, but Hyosung Heavy Industries — trading at 2.3 million won ($1,591) per share and cementing its position as the priciest KOSPI-listed company. The stock has surged 462.6 percent this year as of Tuesday, making it the top performer on a KOSPI that itself has jumped 72 percent year-to-date. Hyosung Heavy manufactures core power-grid equipment such November 6, 2025

Asian markets rebound in tandem with Wall Street recovery SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - Asian stocks closed higher on Thursday, snapping a sharp two-day selloff as easing concerns over an AI bubble and a rebound on Wall Street lifted sentiment across the region. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI rose 0.55 percent to 4,026.45, recovering from the “Black Wednesday” rout the previous day. Retail investors bought 885 billion won ($611 million) of shares and institutions added 832 billion won, while foreign investors sold 1.7 tril November 6, 2025

Over-crowded Korean coffee market squeezes small franchises to venture overseas SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - Koreans are the world's most avid coffee consumers, and the market has now grown so dense that smaller franchises are increasingly looking abroad to survive. According to Euromonitor, Koreans on average drank 416 cups of coffee per person last year, the highest in the Asia-Pacific region. Consumption far outstripped Singapore's 290 cups and Japan's 281 cups, and was nearly six times the regional average of 57. By the end of 20 November 6, 2025

Korea's record Jan-Sept current account flags deepening reliance on chip exports SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - South Korea’s thriving semiconductor business has pushed the country’s current account surplus to its largest-ever level for September, but the details point to a growing dependence on a narrow set of export engines. Preliminary Bank of Korea data show the current account logged a $13.47 billion surplus in September, lifting the cumulative black to a record $82.77 billion for the January–September period — up 23 percent from a yea November 6, 2025

Ramyeon now spans hundreds of varieties, but the classic spicy still gets the last gulp SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - Ramyeon, Korea’s signature instant noodle, sits at the forefront of the K-food boom, even being marketed vigorously through K-Pop Demon Hunters as its varieties keep evolving with a widening global footprint. The range now spans hundreds of flavors and formats — from trendy mala and truffle to butter-soy and black-garlic blends — though the original spicy profile remains the undisputed classic. Korea’s agri-food exports surpassed November 6, 2025

South Korea's AI and climate goals on collision course SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - South Korea plans to invest $17 billion by 2030 to build an "AI expressway" and take the lead in the global AI race, a vision strengthened by NVIDIA's pledge to supply next-generation GPUs powerful enough to anchor five hyperscale AI data centers. Yet how the country intends to reconcile this ambition with its climate commitments is increasingly unclear. Under an energy rationalization strategy released this week, the Ministry of Climate November 6, 2025

KCC unveils glass designed to prevent bird collisions SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - KCC Glass said Thursday it has developed South Korea’s first bird-safe glass. The product, named SAVIRDS, employs a sandblasting technique that etches subtle patterns across the surface of the glass. The markings, spaced five centimeters apart, are visible to birds and recognized as obstacles — reducing the risk of fatal collisions that have become a growing environmental concern. SAVIRDS recently received certification from the American November 6, 2025

Ethiopia's gold mining boom fuels record sales of Korean excavator SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - HD Hyundai Infracore said on Thursday that sales of its construction equipment in Ethiopia have risen nearly fivefold this year, propelled by a surge in gold mining activity. The company’s Develon brand sold about 1,300 machines in 2025, a 470 percent increase from a year earlier. Much of that growth came from the popularity of its 36-ton excavator, the DX360, which accounted for roughly 90 percent of total sales, or more than 1,100 units. Eth November 6, 2025