Industry

  • South Korean hotels ride wave of Chinese Gen Z travelers
    South Korean hotels ride wave of Chinese Gen Z travelers SEOUL, December 01 (AJP) - South Korea’s hotel scene is in the midst of a renaissance, energized by a surge of overseas travelers who are filling rooms, lifting revenues, and reshaping the country’s hospitality landscape. At the center of this revival is the return of Chinese tourists — once South Korea’s largest visitor group — whose comeback is accelerating faster than many in the industry anticipated. More than 14 million foreign tourists arri December 1, 2025
  • South Korean asset management firms Q3 profit surges 128 percent year-on-year
    South Korean asset management firms' Q3 profit surges 128 percent year-on-year SEOUL, December 01 (AJP) - South Korea’s asset management industry expanded in the third quarter, with total assets under management (AUM) rising 3.9 percent from the previous quarter to 1,868.8 trillion won (about $1.27 trillion). Fund deposits grew 5 percent to 1,226.8 trillion won ($835 billion), while investment advisory contracts increased 1.8 percent to 642 trillion won. Funds recorded gains across major categories: equity funds reached 149.5 trillion won, bond December 1, 2025
  • Chip boom lifts South Koreas November exports 8.4 percent
    Chip boom lifts South Korea's November exports 8.4 percent SEOUL, December 01 (AJP) - South Korea’s exports rose more than 8 percent in November from a year earlier, extending their growth streak to six consecutive months and putting the country on course to reach an annual export of $700 billion for the first time. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Monday that outbound shipments reached $61.04 billion in November, up 8.4 percent on-year. Average daily exports, adjusted for working days, climbed 13.3 percent to $2.71 December 1, 2025
  • Coupang hit by massive personal data breach affecting 33 million accounts
    Coupang hit by massive personal data breach affecting 33 million accounts SEOUL, November 30 (AJP) - Coupang, the top e-commerce platform with some 33 million monthly active users in South Korea, is facing growing criticism after confirming that personal information belonging to more than 33 million customer accounts was exposed in a major data breach. The scale of the incident has stirred anxiety among consumers and intensified scrutiny of how large technology companies protect basic personal data. The breach has drawn wide attention because Coupang ha November 30, 2025
  • Economy/Business Calendar
    Economy/Business Calendar Seoul, November 28 (AJP) - Dec 1 (Mon) ISM Manufacturing (Nov) - U.S. NBS/Caixin PMIs (Nov) - China Dec 3 (Wed) GNI (3Q) - Ministry of Data and Stats ADP, ISM Services - U.S. Dec 5 (Fri) BoP (Oct) - Bank of Korea Industrial Loans (Q3) 2025 - Bank of Korea Jobs Report (Nov) - U.S. Dec 9-10 (Tue-Wed) FOMC meeting - U.S. Export/Import price indexes (Nov) - Bank of Korea Dec 15-18 (Mon-Thu) Trade, CPI/PPI (Nov) - China Dec 16 (Tue) Combined Oct&n November 28, 2025
  • Koreas unique dawn delivery stokes debate between consumer and labor rights
    Korea's unique dawn delivery stokes debate between consumer and labor rights SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - South Koreans expect grocery orders to arrive at their doorstep by morning — a standard that may astonish outsiders but has become routine thanks to Coupang's ultra-fast e-commerce strategy. Competitors large and small, including Kurly, SSG.com under Shinsegae, CJ Logistics, and others, now compete primarily on delivery speed. But overnight and dawn deliveries come with a human cost. The delivery workers' union und November 28, 2025
  • Wemix will be listed on Thailands largest crypto exchange Bitkub
    Wemix will be listed on Thailand's largest crypto exchange Bitkub SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - The Wemix Foundation said Friday that its Wemix cryptocurrency will be listed on Bitkub, Thailand’s largest digital asset exchange, with deposits and withdrawals opening on Dec. 1. Bitkub controls about 70 percent of Thailand’s cryptocurrency market and operates under authorization from the Ministry of Finance. The platform lists more than 100 digital assets. The listing marks Wemix’s first official entry into the Thai market and November 28, 2025
  • Sydney roundtable highlights new opportunities for Australia–Korea clean energy ties
    Sydney roundtable highlights new opportunities for Australia–Korea clean energy ties SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - A roundtable focused on strengthening clean energy partnerships between Australia and Korea was hosted in Sydney last Thursday. Hosted by the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AustCham Korea) with support from HWLE Lawyers and Elecseed, the event brought together 25 C-suite executives and senior government officials to explore collaboration opportunities across the clean energy sector. Representatives from major organizations including POSCO November 28, 2025
  • Hanwha Aerospace wins $480 million contract for missile interceptors from DAPA
    Hanwha Aerospace wins $480 million contract for missile interceptors from DAPA SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace said Friday it has signed a 705.4 billion won ($480 million) contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) to mass-produce long-range surface-to-air missiles (L-SAM) by 2030. The agreement covers the supply of anti-ballistic missiles (ABM) and launchers for the country’s upper-tier missile defense network. The L-SAM system is designed to intercept ballistic missiles at altitudes above 40 November 28, 2025
  • Samsung scions naval commissioning reunites Lee family, including ex-wife
    Samsung scion's naval commissioning reunites Lee family, including ex-wife SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - Naval Academy commissioning ceremony for 24-year-old Lee Ji-ho, son of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, brought together members of the Samsung family — including the chairman’s former wife Im Se-ryung — in a rare public appearance since their 2009 divorce. Lee Ji-ho, commissioned as part of the 139th class of naval officers, was joined by his grandmother Hong Ra-hee, widow of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, and his aun November 28, 2025