NCT's Jaehyun to release solo ballad "99 Degrees" on July 10 SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - NCT's Jaehyun will release his new solo single "99 Degrees" on July 10, SM Entertainment said Friday. The single will be released at 6 p.m. KST across major platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and Melon. Jaehyun co-wrote and composed the track. "99 Degrees" is a piano-led ballad that builds from a delicate opening into a fuller arrangement before settling back into Jaehyun's vocals for a quiet, intimate close. July 3, 2026

Crypto hacks hit record count, two thirds tied to North Korea SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - North Korea-linked hackers stole about $643 million in cryptocurrency in the first half of 2026, accounting for roughly two-thirds of all funds taken in crypto hacks during the period, according to a new report by blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs. The findings underscore Pyongyang’s continued reliance on cyber theft as a source of hard currency even as overall losses from cryptocurrency hacks fell sharply from a year earlier. TRM Labs said atta July 3, 2026

Another 3,600-ton submarine slated for launch later this year SEOUL, July 3 (AJP) - Another 3,600-ton submarine is expected to be launched later this year, the South Korean Navy said on Friday. According to the Navy, the second vessel in the Jangbogo-III Batch-II series, named after Seo Hui, an eminent diplomat from the early years of the Goryeo Dynasty, is slated for launch in the second half of this year, ahead of its scheduled delivery in 2028. The Navy said the name was chosen in recognition of Seo's diplomatic achievements July 3, 2026

Musinsa's overseas K-beauty sales jump 4.6-fold SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - South Korean fashion platform Musinsa said on Friday that transactions in its global beauty business surged 4.6-fold in the first half of the year, driven by growing overseas demand for K-beauty products and an increase in cross-category purchases by fashion shoppers. The company's global store, which serves customers across 13 overseas markets including the United States, Japan and Southeast Asia, recorded a 361 percent increase in beauty transact July 3, 2026

Console prices climb in South Korea as chip shortage bites SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft have all raised console prices in South Korea, as a surge in memory chip costs ripples through the global electronics supply chain and pushes gaming hardware further out of reach for consumers. Nintendo Korea announced that its flagship console Switch 2 will rise to 758,000 won ($491.2) from 648,000 won starting September 1, a jump of about 17 percent. The company had already raised prices on its original Switch lineup in May. & July 3, 2026

Samsung defies chip rout as KOSPI sinks SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) -The Seoul market extended losses as foreign selloff continued Friday. Chip stocks were mixed. Samsung Electronics rose 1.6 percent to 290,500 won (about 188 dollars), while SK hynix fell 1.1 percent to 2,163,000 won (about 1,398 dollars). The KOSPI 2.18 percent to 7,281.39. The overnight catalyst was a US chip rout, where the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell as much as 6 percent, its worst two-session stretch since early June, as investors questioned July 3, 2026

OECD warns of South Korea's growing reliance on chip exports SEOUL, July 3 (AJP) - South Korea faces mounting long-term risks from its growing reliance on semiconductor exports and rapidly aging population despite an improving economic outlook, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In its latest report released on Thursday, the Paris-based organization said strong semiconductor exports, resilient employment and recovering domestic demand have supported the economy, "despite headwinds from the Middle July 3, 2026

Anthropic explores Samsung's 2nm process for custom AI chip SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic is considering Samsung Electronics' 2-nanometer manufacturing process for its first custom AI chip, potentially handing the South Korean company another marquee customer in its bid to challenge Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s dominance of advanced chip production. U.S. technology publication The Information, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that Anthropic is evaluating Samsung Foundry July 3, 2026

Celltrion posts record preliminary second-quarter profit on biosimilar demand SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - Celltrion announced that its preliminary second-quarter operating profit surged 77.3 percent from a year earlier to 430 billion won ($280 million), the biosimilar maker's strongest quarterly showing on record, pending final audited results. According to regulatory filings released Friday, preliminary revenue climbed 35.2 percent to 1.3 trillion won, with the operating margin widening to about 33 percent from 25 percent a year earlier as newer, higher-margi July 3, 2026

Korea's FX reserves edge up in June as ranking slips SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) -South Korea's foreign exchange reserves rose slightly in June, helped by a stronger dollar, but its global ranking slipped one notch, reflecting the cost of defending a stubbornly weak won, central bank data showed Friday. The country's foreign exchange reserves stood at $427.36 billion at the end of June, up $370 million from $426.99 billion in May, when the coffers shrank by $880 million, according to the Bank of Korea. The U.S.. dollar averaged July 3, 2026