"Build in America or pay," Lutnick warns chipmakers again SEOUL, September 03 (AJP) -U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reiterated that the Trump administration is preparing a new round of semiconductor tariffs designed to push foreign chipmakers to expand production in the United States. “I think what you're going to see is targeted, thoughtful tariff policy that basically says if you build here, you don't pay, but if you don't build here, expect to pay to enter the greatest market in the world,” Lutnick tol September 3, 2026

U.S. moves to deploy multi-domain forces to South Korea SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - The United States is moving to deploy elements of its Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) to South Korea, potentially strengthening the U.S. military’s ability to counter China’s anti-access and area-denial capabilities in the region, according to reports and sources Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that the U.S. Army, under acting Army Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve, was moving MDTF forces from Europe to South Korea, September 2, 2026

Bad loans hit 8-year high, but banks can absorb losses, FSS says SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - Corporate debt is souring at a faster pace in South Korea, but financial authorities say the increase in bad loans is unlikely to pose a broader financial risk as banks remain profitable and well capitalized. Business nonperforming loans, or NPLs, rose by 1 trillion won from three months earlier to 15.2 trillion won at the end of June, accounting for the bulk of the banking sector's 18.9 trillion won in bad loans, according to the Financial Supervisor September 2, 2026

Korea's squishy toy craze puts 14+ labels under scrutiny SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) -South Korea's squishy-toy craze is getting a sober safety check. In Seoul's Dongdaemun toy district, the old staples of childhood are still everywhere. Children weave between shops packed floor to ceiling with transforming robots, Lego sets, dolls and BB guns. Wedged among them is a newer kind of toy, designed less to build or shoot than to squeeze, stretch and crack. There are croissant-shaped squishies, tubs of brightly colored slime, September 2, 2026

Korean planes are newer after Muan crash. Is flying safer? SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - South Korea's airliners are spending a record 17.45 trillion won on safety this year, up more than 30 percent from 2025, in a clear sign of heightened investment following the Jeju Air disaster that killed 179 of the 181 people aboard nearly two years ago. Whether spending more alone can prevent another deadly accident is far less certain, experts say. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Wednesday that 17 domestic airlines, Inch September 2, 2026

S. Korea targets physical AI, expert warns against imitation SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - South Korea can reach the top tier of physical artificial intelligence by pairing its factory base with the data those factories generate, Prime Minister Han Seong-sook told a technology forum in Seoul on Wednesday. Physical AI refers to systems that act in the world rather than on a screen, driving robots, machines and vehicles through real space. It is the industry's next frontier after generative AI, and the competition for it has pulled in natio September 2, 2026

Will AI contracts shield Korean chipmakers from boom-and-bust cycle? SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - Investment banks and market trackers are betting South Korea's memory giants can extend their red-hot earnings streak into a third year in 2027 and possibly beyond, as AI pushes the business away from the spot-price-driven boom-and-bust cycles that have long defined memory chips. Before the rise of AI, earnings at Samsung Electronics and SK hynix were heavily exposed to prices for mass-market DRAM and NAND flash, commodities notorious for swinging b September 2, 2026

Six missing after tugboat capsizes off Busan SEOUL, September 2 (AJP) - A tugboat carrying eight crew members capsized off the southern port city of Busan on Wednesday, leaving six people missing, according to coast guards. The 286-ton boat overturned at about 1:29 p.m. in waters about 9 kilometers southeast of Oryukdo islets. Of the crew including six South Koreans and two foreign nationals, one crew member was rescued by a cargo ship passing nearby, while another was found unconscious. Strong currents and high waves September 2, 2026

Aju Business Daily hosts 18th GGGF 2026 on 'KOREA, State of AI' Participants pose for a group photo during the 18th Good Growth Global Forum (GGGF 2026), hosted by Aju Business Daily under the theme "KOREA, State of AI," at The Plaza Seoul in Jung-gu, Seoul, Sept. 2, 2026. From left are Lee Keum-ryong, chairman of Koglo.com; Yoon Yong-keun, a lawmaker of the People Power Party (PPP); Jeong Jeom-sig, floor leader of the PPP; Cho Jung-sik, speaker of the National Assembly; Kwak Young-gil, chairman of Aju News Corporation; Kim Jang-k September 2, 2026

What makes Lotteria's new 'Ria Bulgogi Red' burgers a must-try? Models showcase Lotte GRS's two new "Ria Bulgogi Red" burgers during a launch event at a Lotteria restaurant near Sookmyung Women's University Station in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Sept. 2, 2026. The "Ria Bulgogi Red" features a bulgogi patty topped with spicy-sweet red bulgogi sauce and crispy fried potato strips, while the "Ria Bulgogi Double Red" adds a second patty and cheese for a heartier option. Both burgers add a spicy twist to Lotteria' September 2, 2026