SK hynix rewrites record books, but misses lofty Q2 profit forecasts SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - SK hynix rewrote the record books in the second quarter as booming demand for artificial intelligence memory chips drove another quarter of historic earnings, though operating profit fell short of lofty market expectations. Operating profit for the April-June period came to 60.54 trillion won, up 61 percent from 37.61 trillion won recorded in the previous quarter. The figure fell short of the market consensus of approximately 64.1 trillion won, accord July 29, 2026

Kookmin University leads 22.2 billion won bio materials project SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - A Seoul university better known for design and management has landed one of the year's larger national biotechnology awards, taking the lead role in a government project to mass-produce high-value biological materials that currently exist only in trace amounts in nature. Kookmin University said Tuesday that a research team headed by Park Yong-cheol, a professor in its Department of Convergence Bioengineering, was selected as a new recipient under the adv July 29, 2026

Samarkand hosts Uzbekistan's first sister cities forum SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - Uzbekistan has added another international gathering to Samarkand's growing calendar, hosting the country's first International Sister Cities Forum in the ancient Silk Road city on July 24 and 25, the latest step in a deliberate campaign to make Samarkand the country's face to the world. The forum opened with a scientific and practical conference titled "Brother Cities: A New Model of Sustainable Development and Public Diplomacy," which July 29, 2026

Korea and Brazil strike critical mineral agreement SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) -President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday placed a newly signed South Korea-Brazil critical minerals agreement at the center of Seoul's strategy to deepen economic ties with Latin America's largest economy, saying cooperation on strategic resources, next-generation aircraft and K-beauty could unlock the two countries' untapped partnership. Speaking at a South Korea-Brazil business roundtable in Sao Paulo during his state visit, Lee said the two countries p July 29, 2026

Islamic Republic of Iran's Alamut fortress added to UNESCO World Heritage List SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has inscribed Alamut Castle and six associated mountain fortifications in Iran on the World Heritage List during its 48th session in Busan, making the serial property Iran's 30th UNESCO World Heritage property, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Seoul said Tuesday. The inscription covers Alamut Castle and six associated fortifications that together formed a defensive network across the rugged Alborz Mount July 28, 2026

Hanwha Systems posts 219 percent jump in Q2 operating profit SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - Hanwha Systems reported sharp growth in second-quarter earnings, driven by major defense export programs and domestic weapons production projects, the company said Tuesday. The defense electronics and ICT company posted 1.12 trillion won ($7.7 billion) in consolidated sales for the April-June period, up 45 percent from a year earlier. Operating profit surged 219 percent on-year to 103.7 billion won. Net profit rose 14 percent to 52.7 billion won. Hanwha July 28, 2026

Why Korea is turning to Brazil's C-390 as aging airlift fleet faces pressure SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung wasted little time in Brazil tending to one of Seoul's key dense priorities. Upon arriving in Brasilia for a state visit, Lee headed straight to inspect a Brazilian-built C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft before holding summit talks with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The acquisition addresses two strategic objectives: replacing South Korea's aging tactical transport fleet while diversif July 28, 2026

Why South Korean women are drinking more while men cut back SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) — Grabbing a beer after work, unwinding with a glass of wine while watching Netflix or sharing a highball with friends has become a familiar scene in South Korean dramas. Increasingly, it is reflecting real life. Every evening, Kim Ji-hyun, a 45-year-old office worker in Ilsan, pours herself a glass of wine or mixes a highball before settling in with Netflix. Her husband sometimes joins her. "It's not that I drink because of stress," she July 28, 2026

How South Korea became Asia's AI ETF test case SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) — Not long ago, Nvidia was the trade that defined the artificial intelligence boom. Today, investors are searching for the next AI winner—and using increasingly leveraged financial products to amplify those bets. That search is reshaping not only Asia's semiconductor industry but also its capital markets. As investors crowd into a handful of AI champions, exchanges are racing to launch new products while regulators grapple with where to draw the July 28, 2026

China chip fears send KOSPI plunging over 10% SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - China's growing push into semiconductors rattled South Korea's stock market on Tuesday. Shares of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix crashed, sparking panic across the market. The sell-off was severe enough to activate automatic trading halts on both the benchmark KOSPI and the junior KOSDAQ, including sidecars and circuit breakers designed to curb sharp market declines. The KOSPI tumbled 10.84 percent to 6,023.66, briefly falling below the 6,000-poin July 28, 2026