Industry

  • South Korea Secures Record 54,000 New-Build Rental Homes, Plans 44,000 Starts in Capital Area
    South Korea Secures Record 54,000 New-Build Rental Homes, Plans 44,000 Starts in Capital Area 정부가 지난해 역대 최대 규모의 신축매입약정을 체결하고 도심 주택공급에 속도를 낸다. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH) said Tuesday they secured 54,000 homes through new-build purchase agreements last year, the largest total on record. The figure was up 128% from the previous year’s 41,955 homes and about six times the 9,253 recorded in 2023, the ministry said. About 48,000 of the homes were in the Seoul metropolitan area, includi January 28, 2026
  • Samsung C&T Posts 29.6% Jump in Q4 Operating Profit to 822.2 Billion Won
    Samsung C&T Posts 29.6% Jump in Q4 Operating Profit to 822.2 Billion Won Samsung C&T said in a regulatory filing Tuesday that its fourth-quarter operating profit rose 29.6% from a year earlier to 822.2 billion won on a consolidated basis. Revenue increased 8.4% to 10.8324 trillion won. Net profit surged 137.6% to 1.5582 trillion won. For the full year, revenue totaled 40.7422 trillion won and operating profit was 3.2927 trillion won. Compared with the previous year, revenue fell 3.2% while operating profit rose 10.4%. Samsung C&T said it maintain January 28, 2026
  • Koreas top battery firms post losses as EV demand slump drags earnings
    Korea's top battery firms post losses as EV demand slump drags earnings SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) - South Korea’s three major battery makers reported losses in the fourth quarter of 2025 as a prolonged slowdown in global electric-vehicle demand weighed on shipments. SK On posted an operating loss of 441.4 billion won in the October–December period and a full-year operating loss of 931.9 billion won. LG Energy Solution also recorded an operating loss of 122 billion won in the fourth quarter, swinging to a loss from a year earlier. Samsung January 28, 2026
  • Solar project backed by Hyundai E&C enters full construction in Texas
    Solar project backed by Hyundai E&C enters full construction in Texas SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) - A large-scale solar power project South Korea's Hyundai Engineering & Construction is participating in has entered full construction in Texas following the completion of financing and preparatory work. The company said on Wednesday it held a groundbreaking ceremony on Jan. 27, local time, in Dallas for the "Lucy" project. The project is being developed by a consortium known as “Team Korea,” which includes Hyundai E&C January 28, 2026
  • Incheon airport expands global reach with record number of airlines
    Incheon airport expands global reach with record number of airlines SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) - Incheon International Airport has surpassed 100 airlines in operation for the first time since opening in 2001, underscoring its growing role as a regional aviation hub, operator Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) said on Wednesday. As of December, 101 airlines were operating at the airport, up from 47 at its opening, the company said. Seven new carriers were added last year, including Scandinavian Airlines. With the increase in airlines, I January 28, 2026
  • Hyundai Mobis posts record annual revenue, profit in 2025
    Hyundai Mobis posts record annual revenue, profit in 2025 SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) - Hyundai Mobis, South Korea's largest automotive parts maker, reported record annual revenue and operating profit on Wednesday, though quarterly net income declined sharply amid tariff pressures and rising costs. The company posted consolidated revenue of 61.12 trillion won ($42.67 billion) and operating profit of 3.36 trillion won for 2025, up 6.8 percent and 9.2 percent year-on-year respectively, according to a regulatory filing. For the fourth quar January 28, 2026
  • Asias largest cruise ship to sail from Incheon under Lotte Tour partnership
    Asia's largest cruise ship to sail from Incheon under Lotte Tour partnership SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) - South Korea's Lotte Tour Development has partnered with global cruise operator MSC Cruises to operate a large cruise ship with South Korea as its home port. The company said on Wednesday it signed a strategic partnership agreement with MSC Cruises on Jan. 27 covering charter operations. Under the agreement, the 170,000-ton MSC Bellissima will begin sailings from Incheon Port in June 2027. Lotte Tour Development described the vessel as the largest cr January 28, 2026
  • EV battery materials maker Ecopro sets up European sales unit in Germany
    EV battery materials maker Ecopro sets up European sales unit in Germany SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) - South Korean battery materials maker Ecopro has established its first Europe-based sales unit. The company said on Wednesday it has set up a European sales unit in Germany and appointed Kimbal Virdi as director. Ecopro said the new unit will function as a European business hub, tasked with identifying growth opportunities in the region’s rapidly evolving electric vehicle and battery supply chain. Ecopro said regulatory changes, including the Eu January 28, 2026
  • HBM4 production nears as Samsung, SK hynix vie for AI chip dominance
    HBM4 production nears as Samsung, SK hynix vie for AI chip dominance SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are set to begin mass production of sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) as early as next month, intensifying competition in the fast-growing market for artificial intelligence semiconductors. According to industry sources on Wednesday, the two South Korean companies plan to start HBM4 mass production in February, with Samsung operating lines at its Pyeongtaek campus and SK hynix at its Icheon facility. The mov January 28, 2026
  • Korean retail investors ramp up US stock buying despite local rally
    Korean retail investors ramp up US stock buying despite local rally SEOUL, January 27 (AJP) - South Korea’s stock market has rallied sharply this year, but retail investors are continuing to pour money into U.S. equities, a trend cited by policymakers as a key factor behind recent volatility in the won. Average daily settlement amounts for U.S. stocks by South Korean retail investors reached $261 million over 15 trading sessions from Jan. 2 to Jan. 23, according to data released on Tuesday by the Korea Securities Depository. That figu January 27, 2026