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  KAIST team develops one-second powder to stop battlefield bleeding SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have developed a powder-based hemostatic agent that can stop heavy bleeding within approximately one second of contact. The technology is designed to improve the survival rates of soldiers in combat environments where excessive blood loss is the leading cause of death. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on December 29 that a joint research team led December 29, 2025
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  Budget minister nominee defines Korea under near-term perfect storm SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) -Lee Hye-hoon, a former three-term opposition lawmaker and economist tapped as the inaugural Minister of Planning and Budget, on Monday described the South Korean economy under a near-term "perfect storm", requiring a fundamental rethink of government spending priorities are set. “We need an approach that finds and eliminates unnecessary spending, while investing boldly in people’s livelihoods and growth,” Lee said a December 29, 2025
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  Celltrion wins FDA nod for phase 1 trial of bispecific antibody cancer drug SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - Celltrion said Monday it has secured U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to begin a phase 1 clinical trial of CT-P72/ABP-102, a bispecific antibody drug designed to treat HER2-expressing solid tumors. The drug, co-developed with U.S.-based Abpro, employs a T-cell engager mechanism that links immune cells directly to cancer cells expressing the HER2 protein. Celltrion plans to begin dosing patients next year following preparatory procedures, ac December 29, 2025
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  Coupang offers compensation to 33.7 million users over data breach SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - Coupang will compensate its users over a massive data breach, the e-commerce giant said on Monday. Starting mid-January, the U.S.-listed company will distribute 1.68 trillion Korean won (US$1.17 billion) in compensation, providing 50,000 won in purchase vouchers per person to paid Wow subscribers, regular users, and former customers who have closed their accounts. The voucher package, set to be distributed on Jan. 15, includes 5,000 won each for Coupang December 29, 2025
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  Trading in dollar-pegged stablecoins surges as won weakens SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - As the Korean won weakens against the greenback, trading in dollar-pegged stablecoins has surged, with volumes growing 2.4-fold over the past three months. Rising demand for dollars for overseas investment has boosted trading in stablecoins that can serve as a dollar substitute. According to data from the Bank of Korea, stablecoin trading rebounded sharply after hitting a low in June. Monthly trading value for dollar stablecoins (USDT, USDC and USDS) ac December 29, 2025
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  North Korea conducts test of long-range cruise missiles SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - North Korea test-fired long-range cruise missiles toward the West Sea, state media said on Monday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), they flew along a preset route "for 10,199 seconds and 10,203 seconds" before striking their targets. The launch, which was conducted the previous day with the country's leader Kim Jong-un in attendance, was part of drills aimed at checking the strategic weapons system December 29, 2025
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  Korean Inc. business sentiment for Jan deteriorates SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) -South Korean companies expect business conditions to remain weak in January, with sentiment slipping across both manufacturing and services amid prolonged weakness in construction and steel and early signs of softer demand in semiconductors, the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) said Monday. The group said its Business Survey Index (BSI) for January is projected at 95.4, down from 98.7 in December. A reading below 100 means more firms expect cond December 29, 2025
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  Earthquake in Taiwan, home to TSMC and Micron fabs, to add boon to Korean chipmakers SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) -A powerful level-4 earthquake in Taiwan, home to a large share of the world’s semiconductor manufacturing capacity, has renewed concerns over supply-chain vulnerability and could ultimately strengthen the competitive position of South Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, analysts said. Some semiconductor fabrication plants in Taiwan temporarily halted operations after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck the island on Saturday. Tai December 29, 2025
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  Weak won squeezes Korean airliners, KAL's profit to fall by double digits Weak won squeezes South Korea’s airlines, with Korean Air the lone profit holdout SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) -The Korean won, averaging its weakest level on record this year, has eaten into profitability across South Korea’s airline industry by driving up U.S. dollar-denominated costs for aircraft leases and fuel. According to financial data provider FnGuide, Korean Air’s consolidated operating profit for the year is estimated at 1.40 trillion won ($1.05 billion December 29, 2025
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  OPINION: Korea's markets in 2025: prices surged, structures quietly weakened By the end of 2025, South Korea’s financial markets offered a paradox. Prices moved sharply, yet the system did not break. Equity indices surged, bond yields rose and the won weakened — but none of this tipped into crisis. Beneath the surface, however, the numbers tell a more uneasy story: stability was preserved, but vulnerabilities quietly accumulated. The Bank of Korea’s semiannual Financial Stability Reports capture this duality well. The Financial Stress I December 28, 2025