Hankook Tire to supply tires for Volkswagen's new Tayron SUV

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - South Korea’s Hankook Tire & Technology said on Thursday that it will supply original equipment tires for Volkswagen’s new crossover SUV, the Tayron. The new Ventus Evo SUV tires were developed in close technical collaboration with Volkswagen and are designed to deliver a quieter, more comfortable ride. Hankook said the tires feature an AI-developed compound that optimizes both performance and stability, while a specialized cuff desi

November 13, 2025

Samsung showcases cinema screen technology at film festival in Los Angeles

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics said on Thursday that it is serving as an official sponsor of the 11th Asian World Film Festival in Los Angeles, using the event to highlight its Cinema LED Onyx screen. The festival, which runs through Nov. 20 at the Culver Theater, features films from more than 30 Asian countries. Samsung’s Onyx screen — which uses self-emitting LED technology instead of a traditional projector — will be used for screenings throu

November 13, 2025

Swedish embassy to spotlight this year's Nobel prize achievements

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - A symposium spotlighting this year’s Nobel Prize laureates and their academic achievements will be held in Seoul on Monday, bringing together scholars and researchers from Korea and Sweden. Hosted by the Embassy of Sweden in Seoul and supported by the Sweden-Korea Education, Research, and Innovation Collaboration (SKERIC) and the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), the event aims to promote academic exchange while honoring the legacy

November 13, 2025

Asian markets hardly move on Suneung Day, awaiting end of U.S. shutdown

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - Asian markets were largely unmoved on Thursday as investors waited for confirmation of an end to the U.S. government shutdown. In Seoul, the KOSPI and KOSDAQ inched up to 4,153.35 and 911.88, respectively, as of 11:20 a.m. The market opened at 10:00 a.m.—one hour later than usual—due to the nationwide Suneung college entrance exam. The Korean won weakened further, with the dollar gaining 4.60 won to hit a new annual high of 1,474.1 won despi

November 13, 2025

PHOTOS: Record number of students sit for annual university entrance exam

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - More than 550,000 students take the annual university entrance exam at around 1,300 test venues nationwide on Thursday. The number of test-takers increased by about 6 percent or 31,504 students, compared to last year, the highest in seven years since 2019, when 594,924 students took the exam. This is attributed to those born in 2007, known as the auspicious "Year of the Golden Pig," taking the exam, which is anticipated to make university admi

November 13, 2025

K Shipbuilding wins $333 million tanker orders from European clients

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - South Korea’s mid-sized shipyard K Shipbuilding said on Thursday that it had signed contracts with two European shipping companies to build five tankers worth about $333 million. The orders, finalized on Nov. 6 and 12, include three 115,000-ton crude oil tankers and two 50,000-ton petrochemical tankers, the company said. All of the new vessels will comply with the International Maritime Organization’s standards for greenhouse gas emissio

November 13, 2025

INTERVIEW: Korean economist sees AI as key to breaking out of low growth

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - South Korea has a rare chance to escape years of sluggish growth if it can harness artificial intelligence as a new engine of productivity, according to Jeon Kwang-woo, chairman of the Institute for Global Economics and a former head of the Financial Services Commission. In an interview with Aju Business Daily, Jeon said the country’s economy — long constrained by an aging population, weak investment, and slowing exports — could find

November 13, 2025

North Korean, Laotian FMs meet in Pyongyang to strengthen ties

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - The foreign ministers of North Korea and Laos met in Pyongyang to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Thursday. North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and her Laotian counterpart Thongsavanh Phomvihane pledged to implement agreements reached by their leaders in October to strengthen friendship and cooperation between the two countries, according to KCNA. Their meetin

November 13, 2025

South Korea's CU convenience chain opens first US store in Hawaii

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - South Korea’s largest convenience store operator, BGF Retail, has opened its first American location in Honolulu, Hawaii. The store opened this week in the popular destination for Asian tourists and home to a sizable Korean community. The launch follows the establishment of BGF Retail Hawaii in May and a master franchise agreement with WKF Inc., a local company that will manage operations under the CU brand. Under the deal, BGF Retail wil

November 13, 2025

South Korea's Lotte Chemical sells Pakistani unit in streamlining push

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - South Korea's Lotte Chemical said on Thursday that it had completed the sale of its controlling stake in its Pakistani subsidiary, Lotte Chemical Pakistan Limited. Lotte’s withdrawal from Pakistan underscores a broader trend among South Korean chemical companies seeking to pare back exposure in emerging markets with volatile currencies, while investing more heavily in specialty and sustainable chemical products that promise higher margins.

November 13, 2025