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  AJP Focus: Seoul's nuclear submarine push raises broader regional security questions SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - South Korea's new "Jangbogo N" nuclear-powered submarine program is raising questions over whether the project is designed primarily to deter North Korea or whether it could eventually become part of a broader U.S.-led effort to counter China. Officials have described the submarine as a symbol of Seoul's determination to take greater responsibility for its own security. But the move comes after the commander of U.S. Forces Korea recently descr May 27, 2026
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  AJP Watch: Samsung puts on charm offensive after avoiding strike despite internal rift SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics went on a multitrillion-won spending blitz Wednesday, pledging 5 trillion won ($3.6 billion) over the next five years to nurture talent and support suppliers on the very day it averted a historic strike by agreeing to hand out over 40 trillion won in rewards tied to this year’s blockbuster earnings and soaring share prices. Management and labor formally signed the 2026 wage agreement after union members approved the deal by 73.7 per May 27, 2026
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  Kakao enters second mediation as labor unrest spreads SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - Labor and management at Kakao entered a second round of mediation at the Gyeonggi National Labor Relations Commission, with the talks widely seen as a make-or-break moment that could push South Korea's dominant messaging platform into its first-ever headquarters strike. The two sides failed to bridge their differences during a first session on May 18, extending the deadline for a resolution, entering the next round Wednesday. Four Kakao affiliates — K May 27, 2026
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  Hyundai Rotem wins state projects for AI-based unmanned military robots SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - Hyundai Rotem said Tuesday it has been selected for two state-funded research and development projects aimed at advancing unmanned robot technologies based on physical artificial intelligence. The company said it was chosen as the final contractor for two projects commissioned by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD). The industry ministry project focuses on developing control software that can manage multipl May 27, 2026
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  AJP Focus: War-driven metal rally lifts South Korea's battery makers, squeezes carmakers SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - A war-driven oil shock is reshaping the economics of South Korea's electric vehicle supply chain, lifting prices of lithium, nickel and cobalt to multi-year highs and handing the country's top battery makers a long-awaited tailwind even as carmakers Hyundai Motor and Kia confront fresh cost pressure. Battery-grade lithium traded at US$25.15 per kilogram on May 13, more than triple the $8.10 average of June last year and the highest level since September May 27, 2026
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  South Korea's AI bonus wars set off domino effect beyond chips SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - May is typically a labor unrest season in South Korea, but this year the epicenter of disputes is no longer traditional factories — it is high tech. The bonus bonanza at the country's two chipmakers, which rode the AI wave to become two of only three Asian companies valued at more than US$1 trillion, is spilling across industries. Employees from manufacturers to platform operators and biotech firms are demanding a greater share of record earnings, May 27, 2026
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  USFK chief calls Korea a 'dagger' in Asia from China's strategic view SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, has described South Korea as a “dagger” in the heart of Asia from China’s strategic perspective, underscoring the peninsula’s growing role in Washington’s broader efforts to counter Beijing. According to the U.S. Army War College website on Tuesday, Brunson made the remarks during a podcast hosted by the school on May 22. “When they look out from the East Coast of China, May 27, 2026
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  Suspect arrested after stabbing two LG Electronics employees in Seoul SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - A subcontractor employee was arrested after stabbing two LG Electronics workers in the Magok district of Seoul, police and company officials said. The suspect, who is not a direct employee of LG, turned himself in to police shortly after the attack and was placed under emergency arrest. The two injured LG employees were transported to a local hospital. An LG spokesperson confirmed that their injuries are non-life-threatening. Authorities have taken the May 27, 2026
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  South Korea joins OpenAI's trusted cyber access program SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - South Korea has become one of the first two countries in Asia, together with Japan, to join OpenAI's Trusted Access for Cyber program, securing government-level access to the U.S. firm's most advanced artificial intelligence models for cybersecurity research and defense. The Ministry of Science and ICT announced Wednesday that Vice Minister Ryu Je-myung met OpenAI Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon in Seoul on Tuesday to formalize Seoul's participati May 27, 2026
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  Samsung Live: Union approves wage deal, averting immediate strike SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics’ representative union approved a tentative wage agreement Wednesday, averting an immediate strike at the world’s largest memory chipmaker and easing concerns over potential disruption to AI supply chains and South Korea’s stock market. Electronic voting ran from May 22 to 10 a.m. Wednesday for the 57,302 eligible members. The deal, reached urgently on May 20 just a day before the planned strike deadline, passed with 73.7 May 27, 2026