Korea boosts meat supply to fight Chuseok inflation SEOUL, September 14 (AJP) - Beef, pork and egg supplies will be sharply increased before the Chuseok holiday as South Korea seeks to contain prices ahead of one of the country's biggest family gatherings. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Monday that beef will be supplied at 1.3 times usual volumes and pork at 1.4 times, while egg supplies, including imports, will reach 2.4 times normal levels. Government-backed discounts and producer levy funds will cu September 14, 2026

S. Korea, U.S. hold defense talks in Busan amid Hormuz pressure SEOUL, September 14 (AJP) - South Korea and the United States will hold high-level defense talks in Busan this week amid growing pressure from Washington for a South Korean contribution to U.S. operations in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the defense ministry in Seoul Monday. The 29th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue, or KIDD, will take place in the southeastern port city from Wednesday through Friday, the Ministry of National Defense said. Kim Hong-cheol, director gene September 14, 2026

Air Premia to launch new flights to Sapporo this winter SEOUL, September 14 (AJP) - Air Premia will offer a new route to Sapporo, Japan starting this winter, the low-cost carrier said on Sunday. The route to the island country's popular winter destination will begin on Dec. 2, with flights four times a week on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, using a Boeing 787-9. They will depart Incheon at 9:40 a.m. and arrive at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido at 12:20 p.m. Return flights will leave Sapporo at 1:45 p.m. and arriv September 14, 2026

SK AX wins Korean govt award for in-house AI training program SEOUL, September 14 (AJP) - SK AX has gained a government validation for its in-house program training and certifying employees in generative artificial intelligence. The award was presented by The Ministry of Employment and Labor on Sept. 11 at a human-resources development conference at COEX Magok in Seoul, cited as a standout case under a government program that endorses corporate qualifications. The company has already been awarded with government validation for in-house cou September 14, 2026

Korean chips reach US through ASEAN as China route shrinks SEOUL, September 13 (AJP) - More of South Korea's semiconductors and electronic components now reach American buyers through factories in Southeast Asia than through factories in China, according to a Bank of Korea report published Sept. 13 on how trade routes have been redrawn since the U.S.-China conflict began. In 2022, 18.6 percent of the South Korean computer, electronic and optical products that ended up in American consumption or investment had passed through Viet Nam, September 13, 2026

Samsung finds a 'Tim Cook' who switched to Galaxy in latest Apple jab SEOUL, September 12 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics has found a Tim Cook who switched to Galaxy — just not the one running Apple. Samsung New Zealand said in a social media campaign that "Tim Cook has switched to Samsung," before clarifying that it was referring to a man from Palmerston North, New Zealand, rather than the former Apple chief executive. "A familiar name has made a new move," Samsung New Zealand said in a post, describing the Galaxy Z8 se September 12, 2026

AI boom breathes new life into mature chips as DB HiTek orders surge SEOUL, September 12 (AJP) - South Korean foundry DB HiTek is emerging as a beneficiary of tightening supplies of mature semiconductors, as booming demand from China's artificial intelligence data centers and robotics industry strains global 8-inch chip production capacity. Customer demand for DB HiTek's foundry services has risen to roughly twice its available production capacity, according to DS Investment & Securities, adding to its order backlog and strengthening e September 12, 2026

Korea expands espionage law as chip technology theft concerns mount SEOUL, September 12 (AJP) - South Korea will broaden the scope of its espionage law from Sunday to cover spying for foreign countries, closing a decades-old legal gap as concerns grow over overseas theft of strategically important technologies including semiconductors. The revised Criminal Act, which takes effect Sept. 13, introduces a new provision allowing authorities to prosecute people who obtain, collect, disclose, transfer or broker national secrets for a foreign country or September 12, 2026

Chunmoo moves to the arms mainstream on the Balkan front SEOUL, September 11 (AJP) - Croatia’s decision to buy 18 South Korean K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers on top of its earlier order of HIMARS from the United States reflects a broader recalibration in the Western Balkans, where military modernization has accelerated since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Hanwha Aerospace signed a 411.8 million euro ($478 million) contract with the Croatian Ministry of Defence on Thursday to supply 18 Chunmoo launchers, ammunition carri September 11, 2026

Krafton, Neople win top employer honors SEOUL, September 11 (AJP) - South Korean game makers Krafton and Neople have been named top job creators by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, cited for expanded parental benefits and youth hiring. Krafton, the publisher of "PUBG: Battlegrounds," pays up to 100 million won ($74,382) over a lifetime for each child born to employees on or after Jan. 1, 2025, and has extended parental leave to as long as two years. The selection announced Friday also reflected non-cash September 11, 2026