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  Korean makers bet on ultra high-nickel batteries to challenge China's supremacy SEOUL, March 06 (AJP) - South Korea is positioning ultra high-nickel batteries as its trump card in the global battery war, betting that a widening technology gap with China and fresh regulatory tailwinds from Europe will reshape the competitive landscape for premium electric vehicles and humanoid robots. The push comes at a pivotal moment, with the European Union this week unveiling its Industrial Acceleration Act (IAA) — a policy framework that effectively erects a double-la March 6, 2026
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  Asian markets ending the first war week muddled  SEOUL, March 06 (AJP) - Asian markets finishing the first week of a new war became muddled Friday amid mixed messages from Washington and the battlefields in the Middle East about how long the conflict could continue and how large the impact on the global economy. Overnight, U.S. equities returned to declines as geopolitical risks surrounding the Iran conflict weighed on investor confidence. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.61 percent to 47,954.74, while the S&P 500 sli March 6, 2026
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  South Korea to face Japan this weekend after huge win in WBC opener SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - South Korea will face Japan in its second game of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) this weekend, as the quadrennial tournament's regional rounds kicked off on Thursday. South Korea, led by manager Ryu Ji-hyun, defeated the Czech Republic 11‑4 in its WBC opener in Tokyo, hitting four home runs. The dominant win boosted the team's morale ahead of a game against archrival and defending champion Japan slated for Saturday evening at the Tokyo Dome. March 6, 2026
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  Korea's inflation steady in Feb, but at risk as it is mostly fed by soft energy prices SEOUL, March 06 (AJP) -South Korea’s inflation held steady in February despite the Lunar New Year factor - keeping consumer prices within the central bank’s 2 percent target range for a sixth straight month - but may come under pressure as the recent easing mostly came from cheaper energy prices that have reversed following the outbreak of war in the Middle East. The consumer price index rose 2.0 percent from a year earlier in February to 118.40 (2020=100), unchanged March 6, 2026
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  Exports feed black in Korea's C/A surplus for 33rd month in Jan, U.S. stock invest narrows SEOUL, March 06 (AJP) - South Korea extended its current-account surplus streak to a 33rd consecutive month in January, though the black figure narrowed from the record level seen the previous month as investment in overseas securities cooled from the frenetic pace of late last year. The current account surplus reached $13.26 billion in January, narrowing from $18.7 billion in the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK) on Friday. The robust surplus was fed by expo March 6, 2026
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  South Korea asks UAE to help bring home travelers stranded in Middle East SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - South Korea asked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to help support the return of South Korean nationals stranded in Middle Eastern countries, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday. In a phone conversation with UAE's Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan the previous day, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun requested special attention and support from the UAE government including assistance for those unable to return due to the closure of airports in Dubai shortl March 6, 2026
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  South Korea bans travel to all parts of Iran SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - A travel ban has been issued on all parts of Iran amid rising tensions in the Middle East, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday. According to the ministry, the government raised its travel alert for Iran to the highest level, which prohibits travel to the country, from the previous level that had advised South Korean nationals to leave. The measure, which took effect from Thursday evening, came after last week's U.S.-led airstrikes against Ir March 6, 2026
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  Equity issues ground to a halt, bond offerings surge in Seoul in Jan SEOUL, March 06 (AJP) - Stock issues virtually came to a halt in January amid overheat concerns while bond issues — particularly in one- to five-year maturities — surged in Seoul, reflecting fears of borrowing rates going higher. According to the Financial Supervisory Service on Friday, total offerings in Korean equities and bonds in January came to 17.7440 trillion won ($12 billion), down 226.4 billion won, or 1.3 percent, from the previous month. Stock issuance t March 6, 2026
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  KOSPI stages sharp rebound to lead Asian recovery SEOUL, March 05 (AJP) - Korean stocks led Asia’s rebound Thursday, with the benchmark KOSPI surging nearly 10 percent in a sharp reversal from the previous session’s record plunge, as bargain hunting and program buying drove a broad-based rally in heavyweight shares. The KOSPI closed at 5,583.9, up 490.4 points, or 9.6 percent, after swinging between an intraday low of 5,248.13 and a high of 5,715.3. Turnover reached 44.81 trillion won. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ outperforme March 5, 2026
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  Value-up index hit record highs in pre-war rally in Seoul SEOUL, Mar 05 (AJP) - The South Korean "Value-up Index", a specialized stock market benchmark launched by the Korea Exchange (KRX) as a centerpiece of the government-led corporate value-up program, reached an all-time high last month. The index was buoyed by a wave of share buybacks, cancellations, and enhanced shareholder return policies, alongside improving earnings across sectors including semiconductors, industrials, and finance. According to the "Monthly Co March 5, 2026