Fire at Bucheon factory likely sparked by fumes from paint thinner, probe finds SEOUL, October 17 (AJP) - A fire at a factory in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province was likely caused by a spark igniting flammable fumes during metal-cleaning work using paint thinner, fire authorities said on Saturday. The preliminary finding came as a joint investigation team of police officers, firefighters and investigators from the National Forensic Service began an on-site inspection to determine the cause of the fire and why it spread so rapidly. The fire, which broke out around October 17, 2026

Japanese PM sends offering to war shrine but likely to skip visit SEOUL, October 17 (AJP) - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine on Saturday as its three-day autumn festival began, Japanese media reported. Takaichi made the offering, known as a "masakaki" in her own name rather than in her official capacity as prime minister, but would not be making the trip to the controversial shrine during the festival, which runs through Oct. 19. The militarist shrine honors convicted war cri October 17, 2026

Hyundai to recall over 94,000 vehicles in US due to fire risk SEOUL, October 17 (AJP) - Automaker Hyundai Motor is recalling some 94,622 vehicles in the U.S. over a potential fire risk, according to documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The recall covers 54,644 Hyundai Genesis sedans manufactured in 2015 and 2016 and 39,978 Genesis G80 sedans produced between 2017 and 2020. The front seats may overheat if an adjustment switch gets stuck, potentially causing a fire while the vehicle is being dr October 17, 2026

Trump highlights Hyundai's investment plans at midterm rally in Georgia SEOUL, October 17 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Hyundai Transys, an auto parts affiliate of Hyundai Motor, plans to invest US$560 million to expand its facilities in Georgia, touting the project as an example of growing foreign investment in the U.S. Speaking at a campaign rally in Dalton, Georgia, ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, Trump said, "Hyundai just announced it will invest $560 million to expand its factories in West Point, Georgia." H October 17, 2026

North Korea touts test of AI-guided, super-speed torpedo SEOUL, October 17 (AJP) - North Korea has tested a new underwater torpedo equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) technology, state media reported on Saturday. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the test of a "new-type super-speed precisely guided torpedo weapon," dubbed the Zam-2.0, took place earlier in the week to verify technical improvements to the weapon, calling it a "significant step" toward strengthening the country's nav October 17, 2026

AJP Factbox: October 2026 KOSDAQ IPO calendar Three companies had listed on the KOSDAQ as of Friday, with seven more tentatively scheduled to debut later in the month, according to Korea Exchange (KRX) data and IPO information website Kokstock. October 16, 2026

Korea's battered ants broaden their bets but keep chips on the table SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) — The adage goes, “If you’re going through hell, keep going" and South Korea’s mom-and-pop investors are not ready to chicken out. Some are, however, broadening their radar beyond chips and their strategies beyond a quick bet on a rebound. Playing smarter and safer is gaining appeal, even as leveraged wagers remain hard to resist. In the first half, as the KOSPI cleared one milestone after another to double by the end of June, October 16, 2026

Korean chipmakers reassure they can stay ahead of CXMT SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) - South Korean chipmakers claim they are in a different league from ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), an Anhui-based Chinese memory maker little known outside the industry until its spectacular Shanghai stock-market debut in July. They find themselves having to reassure questioning investors as the Chinese challenger pushes deeper into server DRAM, promising a product using a novel, denser memory-cell design called 4F² by year-end. Song Jae-hyuk, October 16, 2026

Four firms win preliminary approval for KOSDAQ listings SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) — Four South Korean companies have cleared preliminary reviews for listings on the KOSDAQ, moving closer to initial public offerings (IPOs) on the country's junior stock market. The Korea Exchange (KRX) approved listing applications on Thursday from four companies across financial technology, pharmaceuticals, battery materials and manufacturing artificial intelligence (AI). They include E9pay, an international money transfer company, and Innovo T October 16, 2026

Prosecutors press 30-year prison term for ex-president in appeals trial SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) - Prosecutors on Friday again sought a 30-year prison term for disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol in a separate appeals trial related to his botched martial law debacle in 2024. During a hearing at the Seoul High Court, prosecutors led by Cho Eun-suk asked the court to sentence Yoon to 30 years in jail, the same sentence they sought in the first trial, over allegations that Yoon ordered the dispatch of drones to Pyongyang in October 2024 several times, October 16, 2026