Hyundai Motor faces first full-day strike in a decade this week SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - Unionized workers at Hyundai Motor are set to stage their first full-day strike in a decade later this week as South Korea's metalworkers' union expands labor action across the auto industry. Beginning with four-hour partial strikes on Wednesday and Thursday, the automaker's union has decided to launch an eight-hour full-day strike on Friday, followed by another four-hour walkout next Monday and Tuesday. Another round of strikes follows a seri August 19, 2026

LG Energy Solution's battery plant in Michigan begins production SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - LG Energy Solution (LGES) has begun full operations at its plant in Lansing, Michigan, strengthening its production network for energy storage systems (ESS) to meet growing demand across North America, the company said on Wednesday. The facility is LGES' seventh such plant in North America and will serve as a combined manufacturing hub for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for ESS and nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) batteries for electric vehicles, August 19, 2026

LG shifts board leadership to independent directors ahead of tighter ESG rules SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - LG Group has shifted the chairmanship of the boards at 11 major listed affiliates to independent directors, stepping up corporate governance changes as South Korea moves toward mandatory environmental, social and governance disclosures. LG Corp., the group's holding company, said it recently published its 2025 ESG report outlining sustainability performance and future plans across compliance, climate change and workplace safety. The report covers LG Co August 19, 2026

Samsung Display takes aim at foldables' dim spot with new OLED technology SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - Samsung Display has developed a new OLED technology aimed at tackling a persistent weakness of foldable screens, uneven brightness around curved and folded areas, as the display maker looks to improve image consistency across the next generation of flexible devices. The company said Wednesday it will unveil its 7.6-inch "Wide View" display for the first time at IMID 2026, a four-day display industry conference running through Friday at BEXCO in B August 19, 2026

LG Electronics brings next-gen 5G to European cars in SDV push SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - LG Electronics has begun supplying its latest 5G telematics technology for a mass-produced vehicle in Europe, marking the region's first deployment of the R16 standard as the Korean electronics maker strengthens its position in the shift toward software- and AI-defined vehicles. The company said Wednesday its new smart telematics solution has been installed in a European automaker's production model, though it did not identify the customer or vehic August 19, 2026

Samsung bets $173 million on Korea HVAC line as AI data-center cooling demand heats up SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is stepping up its bet on AI data-center cooling with a 240 billion won ($173 million) production line in South Korea, targeting growing demand to manage the heat generated by increasingly powerful AI servers. The company said Wednesday it will build the new heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) production line at its Gwangju complex, expanding its push into AI data-center cooling following its acquisition of FläktGroup August 19, 2026

CJ targets 12 tln won North America sales by 2028 SEOUL, August 17 (AJP) - The South Korean conglomerate behind bibigo dumplings, Olive Young beauty stores and the KCON music festival is rebuilding its American operations, betting that people who watch Korean shows will keep buying Korean food and cosmetics. CJ Group has put a number on it, aiming for 12 trillion won ($8.49 billion )in North American revenue in 2028, about a 50 percent increase from more than 8 trillion won it took in there last year. Last year's figure wa August 17, 2026

Rain eases South Gyeongsang drought but triggers landslide alerts SEOUL, August 16 (AJP) - South Gyeongsang province saw as much as 114.5 millimeters of rain on Sunday, easing a punishing stretch of heat and drought, even as torrential downpours in mountainous areas prompted heightened landslide warnings and scattered flooding. The Korea Meteorological Administration said the heaviest accumulation as of 3 p.m. was recorded at Geumnam in Hadong at 114.5 mm, followed by 99.5 mm on Mount Jiri in Sancheong and 92.5 mm in Hadong, with most key sites lo August 16, 2026

Chey seeks stock-cash mix in $666 million divorce, ex-wife holds out for cash SEOUL, August 16 (AJP) - SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won balked at a court order to hand his former wife 944 billion won ($666.3 million) in cash because the two sides could not agree on how the record divorce settlement should be paid. Chey, 65, proposed settling part of the award with SK shares alongside cash, but Roh Soh-yeong, 65, the director of the Art Center Nabi and daughter of a former South Korean president, insisted on the full amount in cash, the legal sources said Sunday August 16, 2026

Most workers see bias against fixed-term staff, survey finds SEOUL, August 16 (AJP) - About 80 percent of South Korean workers believe discrimination exists between fixed-term and permanent employees, according to a survey released on Sunday, underscoring persistent tensions in the country's labor market as the government weighs loosening rules on non-regular hiring. The civic group Gabjil 119 said 80.4 percent of respondents to a poll conducted between June 1 and 7 said such discrimination was present. The survey, carried out by Globa August 16, 2026