Industry

  • Koreas Oct factory output dips steepest in 5 years on chipmaking cutback
    Korea's Oct factory output dips steepest in 5 years on chipmaking cutback SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - South Korea’s industrial output shrank at the steepest rate in five years in October on a sharp contraction in semiconductor activity that again underscored the economy’s heavy dependence on chipmaking, government data showed Friday. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics Industrial Output data, mining and manufacturing output declined 4 percent on month, the steepest drop since 7.5 percent in May 2020, and 8.1 percent on year, the November 28, 2025
  • Hanwha Ocean shifts focus to Canada after losing Polish submarine deal
    Hanwha Ocean shifts focus to Canada after losing Polish submarine deal SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - Hanwha Ocean said on Friday it will pivot toward future defense export opportunities after losing out on Poland’s next-generation submarine program. “Despite strong support from the South Korean government and the public, we were unable to secure the Polish contract,” the company said in a press release. The shipbuilder said it will now redirect its focus to Canada, where the government is preparing one of the world’s larges November 28, 2025
  • South Koreas Daum portal to spin off as AXZ after 11 years under Kakao
    South Korea's Daum portal to spin off as AXZ after 11 years under Kakao SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - South Korea’s No. 2 portal site Daum will be spun off into a standalone company named AXZ on Dec. 1, marking its first legal separation from Kakao in 11 years in a bid to revive competitiveness in the portal business, industry officials said Friday. Kakao will transfer Daum’s service rights to AXZ, a subsidiary established in May to prepare for the split. The move ends a decade-long integration following Kakao’s 2014 merger with Daum November 28, 2025
  • Seoul apartment transactions surge in October ahead of new housing curbs
    Seoul apartment transactions surge in October ahead of new housing curbs SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - Apartment sales in Seoul saw a dramatic jump in October, fueled by a wave of last-minute purchases ahead of sweeping government real-estate curbs, official data and policy documents show. Nationally, housing transactions — including apartments and other types of residences — reached 69,718 last month, up 10 percent from September and 23.2 percent from a year earlier, according to the October housing statistics from the Ministry of Land, Inf November 28, 2025
  • Samsung Electronics moves HBM team back under DRAM division after one year
    Samsung Electronics moves HBM team back under DRAM division after one year SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics announced on Thursday it is dissolving its standalone high bandwidth memory development team created last year and moving related personnel back under the DRAM development division. The HBM development team will be absorbed into the design team under the DRAM development division, with Vice President Son Young-soo, who led the HBM team, appointed as head of the design team. Samsung created the dedicated HBM development team in July November 27, 2025
  • LG Chem replaces CEO, taps materials chief Kim Dong-chun to lead next phase
    LG Chem replaces CEO, taps materials chief Kim Dong-chun to lead next phase SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - LG Chem has appointed Kim Dong-chun, head of its advanced materials division, as its new chief executive officer, marking the first leadership change in seven years. Kim succeeds Shin Hak-cheol. The board approved Kim’s promotion to president and CEO on Thursday. Kim is credited with boosting profitability within the advanced materials division and broadening the company’s global customer base, particularly in high-tech sectors. “K November 27, 2025
  • Nvidia-Google rivalry translates to bigger AI chip pie for Korean memory foundries
    Nvidia-Google rivalry translates to bigger AI chip pie for Korean memory foundries SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - Expectations that Google’s in-house tensor processing units (TPUs) will challenge Nvidia’s near-monopoly in AI accelerators are translating into a bigger market for memory giants Samsung Electronics and SK hynix in Korea and Micron Technology in the United States. Nvidia still commands an overwhelming share of the global AI accelerator market. But growth of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and neural processing units (NPUs) &m November 27, 2025
  • Sticky prices and weak won to stretch Koreas belt-tightening to next year
    Sticky prices and weak won to stretch Korea's belt-tightening to next year SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - Koreans tightened their belts through most of the year as stubborn inflation and the steepest depreciation of the won eroded purchasing power, government data showed Thursday. Nominal household income rose 3.5 percent on year in the July–September period to 5,439,000 won ($3,713), while real income—adjusted for inflation—grew 1.5 percent, supported largely by government stimulus handouts, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics November 27, 2025
  • LG Electronics names home appliance chief as new CEO
    LG Electronics names home appliance chief as new CEO SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - LG Electronics has appointed Ryu Jae-cheol, head of its Home Appliance & Air Solution (H&A) division, as chief executive officer, replacing Cho Joo-wan. The board approved the leadership change on Thursday as part of its executive appointments and organizational restructuring. Ryu, known for his technical background and operational experience within LG’s flagship appliance unit, will be tasked with sharpening the company’s compet November 27, 2025
  • Kia successfully tests remote driving on public roads
    Kia successfully tests remote driving on public roads SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - Kia has become the first South Korean automaker to successfully demonstrate remote driving on public roads. Remote driving allows a vehicle without a driver to be operated from a control center via 4G and 5G mobile networks. Considered a near-term solution compared with fully autonomous systems, the technology can intervene when self-driving functions fail and is drawing growing interest for applications in car-sharing, logistics and mobility support i November 27, 2025