S. Korea, US defense officials discuss alliance goals without OPCON details SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - South Korea and the U.S. held senior-level defense talks in Washington this week to discuss the future direction of their alliance, as the two sides appear to remain divided over key issues, including the transfer of wartime operational control. South Korea’s defense ministry said Thursday that the Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue, or KIDD, was held in Washington from Tuesday to Wednesday, led by Kim Hong-cheol, Seoul’s deputy minister for def May 14, 2026

SK AX signs with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT Enterprise to Korea SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - SK AX, the IT services arm of South Korea's SK Group, has signed a service partner agreement with OpenAI to deploy and operate ChatGPT Enterprise across Korean corporate clients, the company said on Wednesday. Under the deal, SK AX will tailor OpenAI's flagship enterprise product to each customer's workflows and security requirements, building generative artificial intelligence into back-office systems rather than bolting it on, the company said Thu May 14, 2026

HD Hyundai posts record quarterly profit on broad profitability gains SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - HD Hyundai posted its highest-ever quarterly operating profit, supported by broad growth across its shipbuilding, power equipment and energy businesses. The results have raised expectations that the group is on track to achieve its goal of reaching 100 trillion won ($67.2 billion) in annual sales by 2030, as its selective order strategy focused on eco-friendly vessels and growing demand for power infrastructure in North America begin to translate into stronger May 13, 2026

HMM Q1 profit slumps 56% on Mideast war, tariffs SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - South Korea's largest container carrier HMM reported first-quarter operating profit tumbled 56 percent from a year earlier, hit by sliding freight rates on its core transpacific lanes, surging bunker fuel costs tied to the war in the Middle East and the lingering drag of U.S. tariffs. According to regulatory filings released Wednesday, operating profit fell to 269.1 billion won ($180.6 million) in the three months to March, from 613.9 billion won a year ear May 13, 2026

Nongshim's Shin Ramyun marks 40 years with 20 trillion won in cumulative sales SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Instant noodle maker Nongshim has achieved a milestone of more than 20 trillion won (about US$13.8 billion) in cumulative sales of its flagship Shin Ramyun since it first went on sale about 40 years ago, the company said on Wednesday. First hitting store shelves in October 1986, Shin Ramyun became the top-selling instant noodle brand in South Korea in 1991 and has held the top spot ever since, with cumulative sales volume reaching about 42.5 billion packs. & May 13, 2026

South Korea launches expert council to chart AI-driven future SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - South Korea convened the inaugural meeting of a new expert advisory body tasked with shaping the government's policy response to artificial intelligence and the sweeping societal shifts it is expected to bring. The Ministry of Science and ICT said Wednesday its special council for technology and artificial intelligence met for the first time at the Presidential Advisory Council on Science & Technology in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, drawing 17 specialists from f May 13, 2026

KITA and KOSA partner to accelerate artificial intelligence adoption in trade sector SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - The Korea International Trade Association and the Korea Artificial Intelligence and Software Industry Association signed an agreement on May 13 to accelerate artificial intelligence transformation and enhance the global competitiveness of South Korean exporters. The two organizations established the partnership at the Trade Tower in Seoul to help businesses navigate changing international trade conditions, the Korea International Trade Association said Wednesday May 13, 2026

K-shaped economy deepens across Asia on AI momentum SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - A widening economic divide is emerging across Asia, as semiconductor-driven economies such as South Korea and Taiwan ride record-breaking stock rallies while manufacturing-heavy nations including India, Thailand and the Philippines struggle under the weight of a historic oil shock. The bifurcation, sharpened by the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has produced what economists describe as a "K-shaped" recovery, in which the gains from the ar May 13, 2026

T'way Air returns to black in Q1, ending two years of losses SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Budget carrier T'way Air posted an operating profit of 19.9 billion Korean won (US$14 million) in the first quarter of this year, returning to the black for the first time in eight quarters. In a preliminary report released on Wednesday, the airline posted first-quarter revenue of 612.2 billion won, up about 37 percent from a year earlier, and an operating profit of 19.9 billion won, marking its first return to the black after eight consecutive quarters o May 13, 2026

Defense minister seeks US support for Korea's nuclear-powered submarine plan SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back has asked senior U.S. Navy and congressional officials to support South Korea’s push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, the Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday. Ahn, who is visiting the U.S. for the first time since taking office, met with Hung Cao, acting secretary of the U.S. Navy, in Washington on Tuesday morning to discuss key alliance issues, according to the ministry. During the meeting, Ahn stressed that May 13, 2026