SK hynix unveils record 40 trillion won buyback plan for shareholder return SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - SK hynix will buy back and cancel 40 trillion won (US$28.6 billion) worth of its own shares, the largest such move by a South Korean listed company. The chipmaker said Wednesday that its board approved the purchase of about 24.07 million common shares or roughly 3.3 percent of its 730.49 million outstanding shares. The buyback will begin Thursday and run through Nov. 19, with the shares purchased on the open market. SK Securities will handle the transacti August 19, 2026

BigBang's 20th anniversary comes as older K-pop acts find new life SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - K-pop boy band BigBang marked their 20th anniversary on Wednesday with their first digital single in four years, hoping to continue attracting attention years after their heyday. Their return comes as older K-pop groups are gaining renewed attention, attracting both longtime fans and younger listeners discovering their music years after their debut. But another shift is unfolding at the same time. While veteran acts are finding ways to sta August 19, 2026

China's foreign minister Wang Yi arrives in Korea via Gimpo Airport Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China and China's foreign minister, boards a vehicle at Seoul Gimpo Business Center in Seoul, August 19, 2026. August 19, 2026

Türkiye rejects Israeli claim on troop deployment at Syrian airbase SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - The justification Israel gave for bombing a Syrian airbase this week, that Turkish soldiers were about to deploy there, was rejected in full by Ankara on Wednesday, which called the allegations untenable and said their purpose was to make unlawful strikes appear legitimate. Eight strikes hit the runway at the Abu al-Duhur airbase in eastern Idlib province early Tuesday, damaging runways and hangars without killing anyone, according to Syria's state bro August 19, 2026

China's foreign minister Wang Yi arrives in Korea via Gimpo Airport Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China and China's foreign minister, arrives in Korea through Seoul Gimpo Business Air Center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, August 19, 2026. August 19, 2026

Chip rout sends KOSPI down nearly 6% amid foreign selloff SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - South Korean stocks plunged nearly 6 percent on Wednesday, falling below 6,500 as a rout in U.S. chip shares hammered semiconductor heavyweights and triggered heavy foreign selling. The benchmark KOSPI closed at 6,471.17, down 5.80 percent from the previous session, after falling as low as 6,400.81 during the day. Losses were widespread, with just three stocks advancing against 703 decliners, while 32 finished unchanged. Foreign investors sold a net 3. August 19, 2026

China's foreign minister Wang Yi arrives in Korea via Gimpo Airport Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China and China's foreign minister, waves to reporters at Seoul Gimpo Business Center in Seoul, August 19, 2026. August 19, 2026

Chinese FM Wang Yi arrives in Seoul for two-day visit SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Seoul on Wednesday for talks with his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun. Wang's two-day visit marks his first trip to South Korea since September 2021 and the first meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers since they met in Beijing last September. During their talks, the two ministers are expected to discuss bilateral ties, the situation on the Korean Peninsula and other regional issues. T August 19, 2026

KOSDAQ-listed medical device maker recognized for growth potential SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - Medical device maker Next Biomedical has been recognized as a rising KOSDAQ-listed firm for the second year in a row, it said on Wednesday. It said it was selected for the Korea Exchange's "rising star" program again this year, which recognizes promising companies based on factors such as technology, financial health and growth potential. The firm attributed the recognition to its technology for controlling bleeding during endoscopic procedures August 19, 2026

Hyundai Motor faces first full-day strike in a decade this week SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - Unionized workers at Hyundai Motor are set to stage their first full-day strike in a decade later this week as South Korea's metalworkers' union expands labor action across the auto industry. Beginning with four-hour partial strikes on Wednesday and Thursday, the automaker's union has decided to launch an eight-hour full-day strike on Friday, followed by another four-hour walkout next Monday and Tuesday. Another round of strikes follows a seri August 19, 2026