Korea's data breaches get personal as latest exposes cosmetic choices SEOUL, September 8 (AJP) - South Korea has grown accustomed to large-scale data breaches. The latest one is also unusually personal. Nearly 220,000 users of Gangnam Unni, a platform for comparing cosmetic procedures and clinics, were affected by unauthorized access discovered last week. The affected users included about 160,000 in South Korea and roughly 48,000 in Japan. Exposed information could include names, phone numbers, email addresses, clinics and doctors users contacted, September 8, 2026

Seoul beats back fine dust, and the next test: ozone SEOUL, September 8 (AJP) - Ozone has become a bigger pollution headache than fine dust for South Korea. Its capital has sharply reduced particulate air pollution over the past decade, but ground-level ozone concentrations have risen nearly 50 percent, exposing a new challenge after years of policy focused heavily on fine dust. The annual average ozone concentration in Seoul rose from 0.022 parts per million in 2015 to 0.0326 ppm in 2025, an increase of more than 48 percent, accor September 8, 2026

Won weakens for 1st time in five sessions SEOUL, September 8 (AJP) - The South Korean won fell for the first time in five sessions on Tuesday as higher oil prices and strong demand for dollars from importers put pressure on the currency. Korean government bonds ended little changed after an early rise faded. The won closed at 1,345.6 per dollar at 3:30 p.m., weakening 5.1 won from 1,340.5 in the previous session. The currency opened at 1,344.4 and strengthened as far as 1,336.3 in morning trading before reversing course September 8, 2026

Samsung Biologics, union to bargain under mediators' watch SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - Samsung Biologics and its labor union agreed to hold further bargaining under the watch of state mediators, carrying a wage dispute at the South Korean contract drug manufacturer into a second mediation session on Sept. 15. The two sides are to read through their collective agreement clause once more, with management tabling a proposal and giving reasons for any demand it rejects, the union said in a statement on Tuesday. The announcement comes right a September 8, 2026

Hormuz contribution stays undecided as Iran warns Seoul SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - The government does not accept the assessment that its own handling of an attack on a South Korean cargo ship in May left an opening for Iran's warning to Seoul this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday. That warning came on Sept. 7. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei posted a statement written in Korean on his X account, telling South Korea that any country stationing forces or joining operations in the Persian Gulf September 8, 2026

Seoul's nuclear sub project reaches IAEA, yet nowhere with Washington SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - South Korea has moved to clear a major safeguards hurdle for its nuclear-powered submarine program, formally opening consultations with the International Atomic Energy Agency. But substantive negotiations cannot advance far until Washington provides clearer guidance on how Seoul can secure nuclear fuel for the submarines. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said Monday that South Korea "has formally notified the Secretariat of its intention to sta September 8, 2026

Korea Post Shopping launches Chuseok gift fair Broadcaster Moon Se-yoon and models pose for photos during a promotional event for the 2026 Korea Post Shopping Chuseok Gift Fair at the Seoul Central Post Office in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the morning of Sep. 8, 2026. Korea Post is holding the fair from Sep. 1 to 27, offering discounts on Chuseok gifts and holiday food items. During the event, a special promotion called “Daldal Week” offers 10 popular products at special prices each week. AJP Yoo Na-hyun September 8, 2026

Public forum discusses admission fees for royal palaces and tombs in Seoul A public forum on admission fees for royal palaces and tombs is held at an annex of the National Palace Museum of Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of Sep. 8, 2026. The forum was organized to discuss ways to ensure sustainable visitor services and improve the admission fee system for royal palaces and tombs. AJP Yoo Na-hyun September 8, 2026

Samsung leans on ASML alliance as AI chip race heats up SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics fighting on two fronts — SK hynix in advanced memory and Chinese rivals in legacy chips — is leaning on ASML's near-monopoly in cutting-edge lithography to keep its manufacturing edge in the AI race. The strategy goes beyond buying the industry's most advanced lithography machines. Samsung plans to bring High-NA EUV into advanced DRAM mass production by 2028 while joining an ASML-led effort to develop a new 12- September 8, 2026

POSCO to invest 480 billion won in new automotive steel facility SEOUL, September 8 (AJP) - POSCO will invest 480 billion won (US$357 million) to build a new facility for high-end automotive steel, the steelmaker said on Tuesday. It broke ground on the continuous galvanizing line (CGL) facility at its steel mill in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, its first new CGL in nine years. Scheduled for completion in 2028, the new facility will have an annual production capacity of 450,000 tons of hot-dip galvanized steel sheet for automotive exterior September 8, 2026