GULF CRISIS: Trump's coalition push puts Korea's Cheonghae Unit in spotlight SEOUL, March 16 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for other countries to help escort commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has drawn cautious and broadly noncommittal responses from allies, with South Korea’s Cheonghae Unit emerging as the most likely naval asset should Seoul decide to participate. South Korea and other countries asked by Washington to help protect merchant vessels from Iranian attacks in the strategic waterway are quietly weighing t March 16, 2026

SK hynix now most favorite workplace among jobseekers, overtaking Samsung SEOUL, March 16 (AJP) - SK hynix has surpassed Samsung Electronics as the most preferred employer among job seekers in South Korea. Online job-search site Saramin said on Monday that it conducted a survey of over 2,000 job seekers and found that about 20 percent of them named SK hynix as their most sought-after employer. It marks the first time Samsung Electronics has lost the top spot since similar surveys began in 2009. The electronics giant, which had long held a dominant le March 16, 2026

Samsung SDI wins $1 bln U.S. ESS battery deal to offset EV setbacks SEOUL, March 16 (AJP) - Samsung SDI said Monday it has secured another large battery supply contract in the United States, underscoring the South Korean battery maker’s accelerating push into the rapidly expanding global energy storage system (ESS) market to offset the slowing demand for EV batteries in North America. The company said its Michigan-based subsidiary, Samsung SDI America, has signed a deal worth about 1.5 trillion won ($1 billion) to supply ESS batteries to a ma March 16, 2026

Hyundai launches self-driving taxi service with Uber in Las Vegas SEOUL, March 15 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group's Ioniq 5-based robotaxis can now be hailed through ride-hailing app Uber in Las Vegas, Nevada. Motional, the automaker's autonomous driving joint venture, said Sunday it has launched a pilot robotaxi service with Uber in the city. The service area includes hotels and shopping districts along the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, with coverage expected to continue expanding. The Ioniq 5 robotaxi is an SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicle, March 15, 2026

Hyundai halts sales of some Palisade models after U.S. fatal accident, plans recall SEOUL, March 14 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor has suspended sales of certain versions of its large sport utility vehicle (SUV), the All-New Palisade, after identifying a potential safety issue. Hyundai said Saturday that the power-folding function of the second- and third-row seats may fail to detect contact with occupants or objects under certain conditions, prompting the company to temporarily halt sales of vehicles equipped with the feature. According to Reuters, a two-year-old girl d March 14, 2026

Korea's crackers edges toward shutdown as Hormuz blockade chokes naphtha supply SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) - South Korea's petrochemical plants are rapidly running out of naphtha as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz cuts off a major supply route, forcing producers to declare force majeure and slash operating rates to bare-minimum levels to avoid a full shutdown that could ripple through the country's manufacturing economy. Yeocheon NCC, LG Chem, Lotte Chemical and Hanwha Solutions have all warned customers of potential force majeure on product deliveries. March 13, 2026

Hanmi Pharmaceutical taps first outside CEO in 53-year history SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) - Hanmi Pharmaceutical announced it has nominated Hwang Sang-yeon, head of private equity at HB Investment, as its new chief executive, marking the first time in the South Korean drugmaker's 53-year history that an outsider has been tapped to lead the company. The board of Hanmi Science, the group's holding company, and Hanmi Pharmaceutical approved the nomination at separate meetings on Thursday. The appointment is subject to approval at the annual gen March 13, 2026

Canada unlikely to split $40B submarine contract between Korea and Germany SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - Canada is unlikely to divide its planned multibillion-dollar submarine procurement between South Korea and Germany despite speculation in local media, as analysts say a split contract would drive up costs and complicate naval operations. The idea of awarding portions of the project to both bidders — sometimes described as a “6+6” split procurement — has circulated in Canadian media as Ottawa weighs final proposals from a South Korean c March 12, 2026

K-battery makers bet on premium to fight EV slump and China dominance SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - South Korea's battery industry is doubling down on premium technologies — from high-nickel chemistries to all-solid-state prototypes and advanced cell engineering — as it seeks to outpace Chinese rivals and move beyond the slowing electric-vehicle market. The strategic pivot was on full display at the InterBattery 2026, the three-day exhibition that opened Wednesday at COEX in southern Seoul. The 14th edition of the show drew 667 compan March 12, 2026

Samsung's agentic-AI flagship posts record presales, software edge in premium market SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics’ latest AI-strong flagship is off to a bar-raising debut, signaling a shift in the premium handset race from hardware specifications toward practical artificial intelligence features. The Galaxy S26 series, launched Wednesday in more than 120 countries including South Korea and the United States, logged 1.35 million preorders in its home market, the highest ever for the Galaxy S lineup. Industry observers say the strong earl March 12, 2026