Celltrion shares jump on deal to acquire Eli Lilly and fend off US tariff risks SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - South Korean biopharmaceutical company Celltrion's shares surged upon a major M&A deal in the United States, setting the contract-based drug maker better positioned against U.S. tariff exposure. The company said on Tuesday its U.S. operation signed a deal to acquire Eli Lilly's biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Branchburg, New Jersey for about 460 billion won ($330 million), with an aim to close the deal by the end of the year. Sh September 23, 2025

Bithumb partners with Trump-backed blockchain company SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - South Korea’s leading cryptocurrency exchange, Bithumb, has entered into a strategic partnership with World Liberty Financial, a blockchain finance company co-founded by Donald Trump Jr. and his brother Eric Trump. The agreement, announced Monday at Bithumb Financial Tower in Seoul, was formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed by Bithumb’s Chief Executive, Lee Jae-won, and Jack Forkman, a co-founder of World Liberty Financia September 23, 2025

INTERVIEW: In age of air taxis, South Korea prepares for new era of aviation safety SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - When Hwang Ho-won left the quiet corridors of academia last year for the front lines of aviation safety, he knew the stakes would be unlike anything he had faced in the classroom. “Our main focus is building a predictive aviation safety system using data,” Hwang, the head of the Korea Institute of Aviation Safety Technology, said in a recent interview. “The field’s tension and seriousness are unlike anything experienced in acad September 23, 2025

GM Korea faces crisis amid tariff woes, market slump SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - GM Korea is grappling with significant financial challenges stemming from steep U.S. tariffs and a struggling domestic market. The company, led by President Hector Villarreal, is facing criticism for its passive business strategy and a lack of proactive measures to secure its long-term future in the country. The most immediate threat to GM Korea's viability is a 25 percent U.S. import tariff imposed in April. Industry estimates suggest the compan September 23, 2025

K-dessert course featured in dramas excites international sweet tooth SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - Korean traditional flavors — black sesame, mugwort, jujube, gardenia, and rice — are folded into the filling of the Joseon macaron, a reimagined treat that delights the palates of haughty Chinese envoys on screen and the cravings of global audiences off screen in the hit Korean drama Bon Appétit, Your Majesty. The global craze for Korean cuisine has spilled beyond savory dishes into desserts and pastries, cleverly catering to both healt September 22, 2025

South Korea vows govt intervention to fight hackers SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - The South Korean government has vowed proactive intervention to fight cyberattacks and protect consumer privacy as nationwide consumer services reel from a string of data breaches. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, presiding over an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday, ordered a comprehensive overhaul of telecommunications and financial services regulations to better address the growing threat. "Realizing a digital transition and building an AI power September 22, 2025

After Homeplus scandal, Lotte Card hack puts spotlight on MBK Partners SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - A major data breach at Lotte Card has intensified scrutiny of MBK Partners, one of Asia’s largest private equity firms, which already faces mounting criticism over its troubled ownership of Homeplus, South Korea’s second-largest retail chain. The two incidents have stoked concerns that MBK, which manages more than $30 billion in assets, has prioritized short-term financial returns at the expense of adequate investment in security and corpora September 22, 2025

Multinational interest revives Korea's dream of becoming gas producer SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - A beleaguered deep-sea gas development campaign in the East Sea has been revived after BP plc. and a few unspecified foreign names submitted offers to tap reserves off the east coast of South Korea. State-run Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) published on Sunday that several multinational energy firms filed letters of intent by the deadline on Sunday, resuscitating the campaign shunned by local companies due to association with former disgraced presid September 22, 2025

Defense chiefs of South Korea, Saudi Arabia hold talks in Riyadh SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - South Korea and Saudi Arabia pledged to strengthen their defense partnership during high-level talks in Riyadh, the South Korean defense ministry said Monday. South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek described his talks with Prince Abdullah bin Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s National Guard minister, on Saturday as “a meaningful first step” in expanding military collaboration. The trip marked his first visit to the Middle East since as September 22, 2025

Hanwha honors US Korean War veterans with industrial tour, tribute SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - Three major South Korean defense companies joined the government last week in honoring American veterans of the Korean War. Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Ocean, in partnership with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, hosted 85 veterans and family members from Sept. 18 to 20 as part of the ministry’s long-running “Revisit Korea Program.” Established in 1975, the initiative invites U.S. veterans back to the September 22, 2025