Hyundai-SK battery venture starts output at Georgia plant SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - SK On and Hyundai Motor Group's battery joint venture has begun production at its northwest Georgia plant and started shipping electric-vehicle batteries to the automaker's flagship U.S. factory, local newspaper The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) reported on Tuesday (local time). The venture, known as Hyundai-SK Battery Manufacturing America (HSBMA), was established in 2023 with a combined $5 billion investment split evenly between the two companie July 15, 2026

SK hynix shares rally on bullish Barclays report despite ADR premium SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) -Shares of SK hynix zoomed higher at the opening bell in Seoul on Wednesday, recovering from this week's earnings and valuation-driven selloff after a bullish report from Barclays reignited optimism over the AI memory cycle. As of 9:30 a.m., shares of the Korean chipmaker were up 12 percent at 2,139,000 won, extending an overnight 27.3 percent rally in its Nasdaq-listed American depositary receipts (ADRs) and Tuesday's gain of more than 3 percent in Se July 15, 2026

British Princess Anne highlights longstanding bilateral ties at Seoul reception SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - Britain's Princess Anne, who is on a three-day visit to South Korea, stressed the strong and enduring partnership between the U.K. and South Korea during a reception hosted by the British Embassy in Seoul on Tuesday. The reception, held at the Four Seasons Hotel in central Seoul, brought together government officials, diplomats, business leaders, academics, cultural figures and youth representatives to celebrate the longstanding ties between the two countr July 15, 2026

HMM leads California orange shipments to South Korea for fourth year SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - HMM, South Korea's largest container carrier, said it had transported more California-grown oranges to the country than any rival for a fourth consecutive year. The Seoul-based shipping line revealed Wednesday that it carried 42 percent of all California oranges imported into South Korea this year, or about 3,060 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), according to Piers Data compiled by U.S. maritime research firm JOC. The figure marked the top position in July 15, 2026

Minimum wage set at 10,700 won for next year SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - Next year's minimum wage in South Korea has been set at 10,700 South Korean won (about US$7) per hour after monthlong negotiations between workers and employers. A 27-member committee, with nine representatives each from workers, employers and government-appointed independent members, held a meeting in the administrative city of Sejong on Tuesday and decided to raise the minimum hourly wage by 3.7 percent from the current 10,320 won to 10,700 won next year July 15, 2026

Erdoğan calls July 15 resistance unparalleled in democratic history SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the popular resistance that defeated the July 15, 2016 coup attempt stands unmatched in the history of world democracy, crediting the nation's willingness to die for its independence with powering Türkiye's rise as a global actor over the past decade. "The Turkish nation's prudence, courage, and foresight on the night of 15 July are also unprecedented in the history of world democracy," July 15, 2026

Foreign shoppers fuel record first-half sales at South Korea's department stores SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - Foreign tourists spent a record 1.72 trillion won ($1.24 billion) at South Korea's three largest department store chains in the first half of 2026, as inbound travelers broadened their spending from luxury goods to Korean fashion, beauty and dining. Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Department Store and Hyundai Department Store each posted record first-half foreign sales, according to industry data released on Tuesday. Lotte led with 640 billion July 15, 2026

Trump got $2 million from Korean firm facing US trade probe SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - The lead investor in a South Korean aluminum company contesting U.S. trade penalties paid $2 million last year to a holding company owned by President Donald Trump, according to a New York Times report that has renewed scrutiny of the president's foreign business dealings. The payment by Base Group, the parent of Korea Aluminium, surfaced for the first time in Trump's annual financial disclosure released in late June. The filing described it tersely as July 15, 2026

Lee's longtime home sold after months up for sale SEOUL, July 14 (AJP) - An apartment owned by President Lee Jae Myung in the outskirts of Seoul, has reportedly been sold, several months after he put it up for sale last spring. According to a Cheong Wa Dae official on Tuesday, the real estate deal is expected to be finalized soon, with all legal procedures already completed. Lee put his 164-square-meter apartment in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, up for sale in February as part of efforts to push ahead with his real est July 14, 2026

KOSPI makes modest recovery after sharp plunge, but KOSDAQ stays volatile SEOUL, July 14 (AJP) - South Korean stocks rebounded Tuesday after the previous session's steep selloff, although another sell-side sidecar on the junior KOSDAQ showed continued volatility in the local market. The benchmark KOSPI rose 49.90 points or 0.73 percent to close at 6,856.83. The modest gain followed another volatile session. The index opened 0.56 percent lower at 6,769.06, climbed to an intraday high of 6,979.92 and later fell to 6,448.86 before recovering into the July 14, 2026