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  The next big chip from Korea – flash successor to HBM: KAIST expert SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - High-bandwidth memory (HBM) has powered the current AI boom, but soaring costs and capacity limits are shifting attention to what comes next. The next big chip to come from Korea's memory powerhouse will be flash-based successor designed for the inference-heavy phase of AI, according to a chip expert. “Now is the time to move beyond HBM. The era of high-bandwidth flash is coming — and it will unfold within the next decade,” Kim Jung February 10, 2026
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  South Korea's WBC hopes fade as injuries sideline more key players SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Hanwha Eagles' catcher Choi Jae-hoon has been dropped from South Korea's roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC), the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said on Tuesday. The KBO said Choi will be unable to participate in the international tournament, which opens next month, after injuring his finger during the Eagles' winter training. Choi will be replaced by NC Dinos' Kim Hyung-jun. Kim was initially excluded from the roster February 10, 2026
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  Trade chiefs from South Korea, US to meet in Seoul amid Trump's renewed tariff pressure SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - With the U.S. renewing tariff pressure, attention is turning to an upcoming working-level meeting between trade officials in Seoul this week. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources announced Tuesday that its minister Yeo Han-koo is set to hold talks with visiting deputy U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Rick Switzer on Wednesday. The meeting was initially intended to address non-tariff barriers (NTBs), which are measures other than tariffs that re February 10, 2026
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  Korea's top tech firms ban AI agent tool amid fears bots may do more than backtalk SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - South Korea's largest technology companies have moved to ban the use of OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent framework powering a viral wave of bot-only social networks, after a series of security breaches and data exposure incidents raised industry-wide alarm. Kakao, Naver and Karrot Market have each notified employees, including developers, not to use OpenClaw on corporate networks or work devices. The restrictions follow disclosures that Moltbook, a February 10, 2026
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  Hyundai Motor CEO unveils massive Korea, US investment plans SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor plans record investments in South Korea and major spending in North America while seeking renewed growth in emerging markets including India and China, CEO Jose Munoz said in a message to employees. In an internal email sent Monday, Munoz said Hyundai Motor would invest 125.2 trillion won in South Korea over the next five years, marking the company’s largest-ever domestic commitment. The automaker also plans to invest about 35 trill February 10, 2026
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  Trump responds to letter urging protection for North Korean POWs in Ukraine SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump has responded to a letter calling for protection of North Korean prisoners of war held in Ukraine, a civic group that assists North Korean defectors said on Tuesday. According to the Emergency Committee for the Free Repatriation of North Korean Soldiers, led by defector-turned-lawmaker Thae Yong-ho, its U.S.-based affiliated group, Free Joseon, sent a letter to Trump last month urging that the POWs' free will be respected February 10, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-39: Affordable flight tips to arrive on time for the Gwanghwamun show *Editor’s Note: AJP will provide up-to-date travel information leading up to BTS’s Gwanghwamun live show on March 21, including flights, lodging, and where to go, see and eat to make the most of the Seoul experience. SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) — It is still not too late to book those tickets to fly into Seoul, for those who cannot wait for BTS’s tour stop in their home turf and arrive for the March 21 once-in-a-lifetime open-space comeback show in Gwanghwamun February 10, 2026
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  Robot patrols will begin at Changdeok Palace in Seoul SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - South Korea’s Korea Heritage Service will begin a month-long pilot program deploying an autonomous patrol robot at the historic Changdeok Palace in Seoul. The robot, named “Sunrabot,” will begin operations on Feb. 10, conducting nighttime patrols and supporting round-the-clock safety management, the agency said. The name references the sunragun, patrol guards of the Joseon Dynasty who monitored security in and around the royal capital February 10, 2026
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  FSS probes Bithumb following "ghost coin" scandal SEOUL, Feb 10 (AJP) -The Bithumb mispayment case is emerging as a major test for South Korea’s virtual asset regulatory system, as financial authorities move to use the findings to shape tougher oversight and future legislation. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said Tuesday that it is focusing on whether Bithumb’s internal control systems complied with the Act on the Protection of Virtual Asset Users, particularly rules requiring exchanges to hold virtual assets February 10, 2026
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  AI rally, election boost lift Asian stocks led by Japan SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Asian stocks extended gains Tuesday, led by Japan, as investor sentiment improved on a powerful mix of artificial intelligence enthusiasm and political clarity following a landslide election victory for the country’s ruling camp. Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed more than 2 percent as uncertainty eased after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s decisive win strengthened confidence in her “Strong Japan” economic agenda. Heavyweight tech February 10, 2026