Washington keeps Seoul on FX watchlist, backs KRW stabilization actions SEOUL, July 24 (AJP) -The United States kept South Korea on its currency monitoring list on Thursday, saying the country continued to run large external surpluses while acknowledging Seoul's intervention to curb excessive volatility in the won and its efforts to further liberalize the foreign exchange market. The U.S. Treasury again designated South Korea as a currency monitoring country in its semiannual report to Congress on the macroeconomic and foreign exchange policies of July 24, 2026

Korea and U.S. launch shipbuilding center to drive MASGA SEOUL, July 24 (AJP) -South Korea and the United States on Thursday launched a shipbuilding cooperation center in Washington to facilitate the planned US$150 billion investment in the U.S. shipbuilding sector that Seoul committed to under last year's bilateral trade and investment agreement. Senior government officials, lawmakers and industry executives from both countries attended the opening of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC), which will serve as the ope July 24, 2026

One ordinary workday, one task at a time SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - At 10 a.m., an hour before the first customers arrive, the lights flick on inside a modest Kimchi stew restaurant tucked into Hyehwa neighborhood, southwestern district on Seoul. Three aprons are tied almost simultaneously. One employee wipes tables. Another arranges bowls into neat stacks. In the kitchen, vegetables are trimmed and ingredients portioned for the lunchtime rush. Before opening, everyone gathers around one table to eat together &mdas July 23, 2026

U.S. pressure exposes South Korea's limited Hormuz options SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - As long as the Strait of Hormuz remains a potential flashpoint, one question is likely to keep returning to Seoul: What can South Korea realistically contribute if Washington asks for military support? Remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week have revived that debate, raising fresh questions over what Seoul can realistically offer should Washington turn its expectations into a concrete request. Speaking to reporters in Manila on Wednesday af July 23, 2026

Trump's tariff maze keeps Korea guessing as another deadline looms SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - For U.S. trading partners—foes and allies alike—it has become nearly impossible to keep up with tariff rates during President Donald Trump’s second term. The levy on South Korean imports has swung from 25 percent to 10 percent, back toward 25 percent, down to 15 percent and then back again to 10 percent — all in little more than a year. The next number could be 12.5 percent. A temporary 10 percent U.S. surcharge on imports from July 23, 2026

Hyundai flags Europe drag as sales target comes under pressure SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) -Shares of Hyundai Motor have nearly halved from their June peak entering the second half, and the automaker on Thursday signaled its annual sales target could come under pressure as weak European demand offsets resilient profitability. South Korea's largest automaker reported an operating profit of 2.851 trillion won ($1.94 billion) for the April-June period, down 20.8 percent from a year earlier, even as revenue rose 1.9 percent to a record 49.21 July 23, 2026

Won surges amid foreign inflows as stronger-than-expected GDP SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - The South Korean won strengthened sharply against the dollar on Thursday as foreign investors poured more than 2 trillion won into local shares following stronger-than-expected economic growth and renewed optimism over artificial intelligence-related chip demand. Government bond yields, by contrast, ended little changed as the prospect of further monetary tightening was offset by buying interest after their recent climb. The won gained 13.3 won to close day July 23, 2026

Top court refers ex-first lady's case to full bench amid conflicting rulings SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - Former first lady Kim Keon Hee's appeal case was referred to the Supreme Court's full bench on Thursday, delaying a scheduled ruling amid conflicting lower court decisions over allegations involving election-related polls. The top court said it had decided to refer Kim's case to the full bench and postpone its ruling, just a day before the scheduled verdict was set to be delivered at 2 p.m. on Friday. No new date has been set. The move is widely July 23, 2026

Chinese shipbuilder delivers world's first solar-powered carrier to Korea SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - A Chinese shipbuilder has delivered what it says is the world’s first 10,000-car-class vehicle carrier equipped with a solar power system to South Korea, Chinese state media reported Thursday. Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) recently held an online signing ceremony with China Shipbuilding Trading Co. to deliver the vessel to Korea Ocean Business Corp. (KOBC), according to Chinese media outlets including the Global Times. The vessel is a liquefi July 23, 2026

Reality bites as Korea's retail investors struggle to escape leverage trap SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - Reality bites, and it takes a strong stomach to survive the KOSPI reality show, where billions of won in retail wealth disappear every trading day. Panic flashes across online stock forums. "Save me. I'm trapped at 22,000 won," one investor wrote, unsure whether to sell or keep holding a Samsung Electronics 2x leveraged exchange-traded fund bought near that price. The desperation reflects what is becoming a familiar pattern. According to July 23, 2026