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  Korean president flags plan to move HMM to Busan "soon" SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) -The proposed relocation of South Korea’s flagship shipping line HMM to Busan has returned to the spotlight after President Lee Jae Myung reiterated his commitment to the plan despite continued employee opposition. Lee wrote on social media platform X on Thursday that HMM would relocate to Busan “soon,” following the establishment of a maritime court and a state-backed investment corporation focused on Southeast Asian shipping routes. The m February 19, 2026
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  Korea's auto exports jump 21.7% to $6.07b, second-highest on record for Jan SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) -South Korea’s auto exports opened the year on a strong footing, extending momentum from a record 2025, as a weak won and resilient demand from Europe and other markets for hybrid and secondhand vehicles helped offset lingering tariff pressures in the United States. Outbound shipments in January rose 21.7 percent from a year earlier to $6.07 billion, the second-highest export total ever recorded for the month, according to data released by the Minist February 19, 2026
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  SK Innovation selected to develop $2.3 bln LNG power project in Vietnam SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - SK Innovation has been selected as the developer of a $2.3 billion liquefied natural gas power project in northern Vietnam, marking a significant step in the South Korean energy company's push to expand its global LNG footprint. The project, located in the Quynh Lap area of Nghe An province, about 220 kilometers south of Hanoi, calls for the construction of a 1,500-megawatt combined-cycle gas power plant, a 250,000-cubic-meter LNG terminal, and a dedic February 19, 2026
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  South Korea, Czech Republic forge ministerial framework to fast-track Dukovany nuclear project SEOUL, February 18 (AJP) - South Korea and the Czech Republic agreed to establish a ministerial-level consultative body to oversee the construction of two nuclear reactors at the Dukovany site, as both nations deepen an energy partnership worth about 26 trillion won ($18 billion). South Korean Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Kim Jung-kwan met newly inaugurated Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and his counterpart Karel Havlicek in Prague on Monday (local time) at the Czech gover February 18, 2026
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  Big tech giants ramp up hiring of Korean semiconductor engineers as AI chip race intensifies SEOUL, February 18 (AJP) - Major U.S. technology firms including Nvidia, Google, and Tesla are aggressively recruiting South Korean semiconductor engineers, zeroing in on the country's deep pool of expertise in high-bandwidth memory as the global race for artificial intelligence hardware accelerates. The hiring push marks a significant escalation from earlier years, when recruitment of Korean chip talent was largely confined to memory makers such as Micron Technology and mobile February 18, 2026
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  Global solid-state battery market projected to reach $20 billion by 2032 SEOUL, February 16 (AJP) - The global solid-state battery market is projected to grow more than tenfold to nearly $20 billion by 2032, driven by expanding applications in electric vehicles and robotics, according to a market research report released Monday. South Korean battery makers are accelerating development efforts as commercialization of the next-generation technology draws closer. The worldwide solid-state battery market is expected to expand from $1.97 February 16, 2026
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  Samsung Electronics eyes quarterly operating profit of 30 trillion won SEOUL, February 16 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is expected to reach 30 trillion won in quarterly operating profit for the first time in the January-March period, driven by surging demand for AI-related memory chips. The South Korean tech giant posted a record 20 trillion won in operating profit in the October-December quarter, becoming the first domestic company to reach that milestone. Analysts now project it will add another 10 trillion won in just one quarter. According to b February 16, 2026
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  Hyundai, Kia poised to surpass 1 million EVs in cumulative sales in Europe SEOUL, February 15 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia are on the verge of reaching 1 million cumulative electric vehicle sales in Europe by the first half of this year, the automotive giant said on Sunday. Their combined EV sales stood at 915,996 units as of the end of last year, since the launch of Kia's compact sport-utility vehicle Soul in 2014. With monthly sales surpassing 15,000 units, they are on track to surpass 1 million units in cumulative sales soon. February 15, 2026
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  U.S. maritime plan allows initial ship construction in Korea SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - The White House on Friday unveiled the “America’s Maritime Action Plan” (MAP), a sweeping strategy to revive the U.S. shipbuilding industry that explicitly signals cooperation with South Korea and Japan. It is widely seen as laying out the blueprint for the so-called MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again) initiative discussed during Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations. The U.S. government states in the report published on the White February 14, 2026
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  Book-style foldables to dominate global market in 2026 amid memory shortages SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - The global foldable smartphone market is expected to shift from clamshell-style devices to book-type models in 2026, according to market research firm Counterpoint Research. According to Counterpoint on Saturday, book-type devices are projected to increase their share of the total foldable smartphone market from 52 percent in 2025 to around 65 percent in 2026, accounting for the majority of global foldable shipments. The shift reflects continued improvemen February 14, 2026