Industry

  • Coupang offers compensation to 33.7 million users over data breach
    Coupang offers compensation to 33.7 million users over data breach SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - Coupang will compensate its users over a massive data breach, the e-commerce giant said on Monday. Starting mid-January, the U.S.-listed company will distribute 1.68 trillion Korean won (US$1.17 billion) in compensation, providing 50,000 won in purchase vouchers per person to paid Wow subscribers, regular users, and former customers who have closed their accounts. The voucher package, set to be distributed on Jan. 15, includes 5,000 won each for Coupang December 29, 2025
  • Trading in dollar-pegged stablecoins surges as won weakens
    Trading in dollar-pegged stablecoins surges as won weakens SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - As the Korean won weakens against the greenback, trading in dollar-pegged stablecoins has surged, with volumes growing 2.4-fold over the past three months. Rising demand for dollars for overseas investment has boosted trading in stablecoins that can serve as a dollar substitute. According to data from the Bank of Korea, stablecoin trading rebounded sharply after hitting a low in June. Monthly trading value for dollar stablecoins (USDT, USDC and USDS) ac December 29, 2025
  • Korean Inc. business sentiment for Jan deteriorates
    Korean Inc. business sentiment for Jan deteriorates SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) -South Korean companies expect business conditions to remain weak in January, with sentiment slipping across both manufacturing and services amid prolonged weakness in construction and steel and early signs of softer demand in semiconductors, the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) said Monday. The group said its Business Survey Index (BSI) for January is projected at 95.4, down from 98.7 in December. A reading below 100 means more firms expect cond December 29, 2025
  • Earthquake in Taiwan, home to TSMC and Micron fabs, to add boon to Korean chipmakers
    Earthquake in Taiwan, home to TSMC and Micron fabs, to add boon to Korean chipmakers SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) -A powerful level-4 earthquake in Taiwan, home to a large share of the world’s semiconductor manufacturing capacity, has renewed concerns over supply-chain vulnerability and could ultimately strengthen the competitive position of South Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, analysts said. Some semiconductor fabrication plants in Taiwan temporarily halted operations after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck the island on Saturday. Tai December 29, 2025
  • Weak won squeezes Korean airliners, KALs profit to fall by double digits
    Weak won squeezes Korean airliners, KAL's profit to fall by double digits Weak won squeezes South Korea’s airlines, with Korean Air the lone profit holdout SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) -The Korean won, averaging its weakest level on record this year, has eaten into profitability across South Korea’s airline industry by driving up U.S. dollar-denominated costs for aircraft leases and fuel. According to financial data provider FnGuide, Korean Air’s consolidated operating profit for the year is estimated at 1.40 trillion won ($1.05 billion December 29, 2025
  • Coupang founder apologizes for data breach as government weighs suspension
    Coupang founder apologizes for data breach as government weighs suspension SEOUL, December 28 (AJP) - Kim Bom-suk, the founder of South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang, released a public apology Sunday regarding a massive data breach, acknowledging the company's failure to communicate promptly with affected users. The statement comes a month after the leak was discovered and amid intensifying scrutiny from regulators, who have signaled that the company could face severe penalties, including a potential suspension of operations. In a statement release December 28, 2025
  • South Korean shipbuilders regain 20 percent market share despite global slump
    South Korean shipbuilders regain 20 percent market share despite global slump SEOUL, December 28 (AJP) - South Korean shipbuilders have successfully defended their order books this year, regaining a 20 percent global market share despite a sharp downturn in worldwide vessel orders, industry data showed Sunday. South Korea currently stands as one of the world's two dominant shipbuilding nations, locked in a fierce rivalry with China. While China often leads in sheer volume, South Korea has carved out a stronghold in the market for high-value, high-tech December 28, 2025
  • Franchise chicken stores top 30,000 in South Korea as major brands dominate
    Franchise chicken stores top 30,000 in South Korea as major brands dominate SEOUL, December 28 (AJP) - The number of franchise fried chicken stores in South Korea has surpassed 30,000 for the first time, the National Data Agency said Sunday, driven by the expansion of major chains even as independent shops struggle to survive. In South Korea, fried chicken is more than just fast food. It is a cultural staple comparable to pizza in the United States. The combination of chicken and beer, known locally as "chimaek," is a ritual for sporting events December 28, 2025
  • Mergers, pricing wars and tighter rules reshape South Koreas content industry in 2025
    Mergers, pricing wars and tighter rules reshape South Korea's content industry in 2025 SEOUL, December 27 (AJP) - Consolidation trumped expansion as the dominant narrative across South Korea's gaming, streaming and webtoon sectors this year, as domestic platforms merged to survive, regulators tightened oversight and companies raced to secure global distribution deals. Streaming services combined subscriber bases while freezing prices under regulatory pressure. Webtoon publishers transformed anti-piracy operations from cost centers into strategic advantages. And ga December 27, 2025
  • Coupang shares jump 6% in New York after company releases probe findings on data leak
    Coupang shares jump 6% in New York after company releases probe findings on data leak SEOUL, December 27 (AJP) - Coupang shares rose on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Friday (local time), the first trading day after the company released its own findings on a major personal data leak. Coupang Inc., the parent company of the e-commerce firm, closed up 6.45 percent at $24.27 on the NYSE. U.S. markets were closed the previous day for Christmas, making Friday the first session after the announcement. Coupang said in a news release on Thursday that it had ide December 27, 2025