ASIA INSIGHT: China's inflation signal, the Strait of Hormuz, and Korea's strategic crossroads For much of the past two years, the dominant concern surrounding the Chinese economy was not inflation but stagnation. Economists spoke openly of deflationary pressure, collapsing real-estate confidence, weakened domestic consumption and a manufacturing slowdown severe enough to shake the foundations of the world’s second-largest economy. Beijing’s policymakers responded with cautious monetary easing, infrastructure stimulus and selective industrial support, while glob May 11, 2026

S-Oil swings to $837 million Q1 operating profit on crude price surge SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) - S-Oil returned to profit in the first quarter as a jump in crude prices triggered by the Middle East conflict delivered hefty inventory gains, more than offsetting headwinds from scheduled maintenance and a domestic petroleum price cap. According to regulatory filings released Monday, the Aramco-controlled refiner posted a consolidated operating profit of 1.23 trillion won ($835.7 million) for the January to March period, swinging from an operating loss of 21.5 May 11, 2026

Hyundai Rotem partners with Korea Aerospace University to strengthen space business SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) - Hyundai Rotem has signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea Aerospace University to cooperate in the space industry, the company said Monday. The agreement, signed on Friday, is aimed at building an industry-academia cooperation platform in the space sector through joint research, networking and talent development. Under the MOU, the two sides will work together on joint research and commercialization of next-generation space technologies, establish a May 11, 2026

Korean food giants pitch K-cuisine to Japanese fans at KCON 2026 SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) - South Korea's two largest packaged-food exporters turned a K-pop convention in Japan's Chiba into a showcase for Korean cuisine over the weekend, as CJ CheilJedang and Samyang Foods drew long lines at branded experience booths during KCON Japan 2026. The three-day festival, held at Makuhari Messe from May 8 to 10, gave both companies a stage to court Japanese consumers, a market they have flagged as central to their global expansion plans, the companies May 11, 2026

Samsung Electronics labor talks begin under government mediation SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics and its union began two days of intensive talks Monday under government mediation in a bid to avert a full-scale strike planned for next week, though prospects for a breakthrough remained uncertain as both sides held firm on bonus demands tied to the semiconductor boom. Speaking before a post-mediation session at the National Labor Relations Commission in central Seoul, SELU Chairman Choi Seung-ho said the union stood by its demand to alloca May 11, 2026

Fifty Fifty announces June 1 comeback with new mini-album SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) - South Korean girl group Fifty Fifty will return with a new mini-album on June 1, marking the quintet's first release in seven months. The agency Attrakt announced the comeback on Monday, confirming the release of the group's fourth mini-album. The new project, titled Imperfect-I'mperfect, conveys a message that one is perfect even if incomplete. It follows the digital single Too Much Part 1. which was released in November 2025. Fifty Fifty unde May 11, 2026

KOSPI storms past 7,800 on semiconductor rally SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) - South Korea’s main index soared nearly 5 percent Monday morning to scale a fresh peak above the 7,800 mark, powered by bellwether chip stocks and retail investors chasing the latest leg of the AI-driven rally. As of 10:39 a.m., the KOSPI was trading at 7,843.57, with a buy-side sidecar was triggered shortly after the opening bell. The KOSDAQ slipped 0.16 percent to 1,205.81. The surge followed a strong session on Wall Street on Friday, where the S&am May 11, 2026

KAIST researchers develop stable high-frequency signal technology for 6G and space exploration SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) - Researchers in South Korea have developed a method to generate ultra-stable high-frequency signals using miniature optical chips to improve the reliability of 6G communications and deep-space exploration. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said Monday, May 11, 2026. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) research team, led by Professor Kim Jung-won and Professor Lee Han-seok, used a technology called a micro-comb to May 11, 2026

US treasury secretary to visit Seoul ahead of Trump's Beijing summit with Xi SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will visit Seoul later this week, just ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "I will depart on Monday for a quick series of meetings in both Japan and South Korea," Bessent said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. He added, "I will stop in Seoul" on Wednesday before heading to Beijing for Trump's summit with Xi Jinping scheduled for May 11, 2026

Pop star Dua Lipa files lawsuit against Samsung Electronics over unauthorized use of her Image SEOUL, May 10 (AJP) - Dua Lipa, the British-Albanian pop star known for numerous global hits and multiple Grammy Awards, has filed a US$15 million lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, entertainment news outlet Variety reported on Saturday. According to Variety, Lipa filed the lawsuit the previous day in the Central District of California, alleging that the South Korean electronics giant "used her likeness to sell TVs without paying her and without permission." In the May 10, 2026