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  Stocks are hot, but apartments are hotter in South Korea SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Stocks are hot in South Korea, but Seoul apartments remain hotter, as data shows profits from record market surge are increasingly being redirected into property purchases. Between July and December last year—after the government unveiled a package of housing market curbs in June—2.09 trillion won ($14.4 billion) was withdrawn from stocks and bonds to finance home purchases, according to data obtained from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure February 10, 2026
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  Korea's Gentle Monster marks 15 years, grows into global eyewear brand SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster marked its 15th anniversary this month, underscoring its rise from a local label into a global fashion name as Korean brands gain traction overseas. The company currently operates 84 stores worldwide, including in New York, London, Paris and Milan, and has staged 33 collaborations with fashion houses and artists ranging from Fendi and Moncler to Maison Margiela and Tilda Swinton, according to the company. Gent February 10, 2026
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  Coupang's data breach far worse than initially reported, probe finds SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - About 33.67 million users were affected by e-commerce giant Coupang's massive data leak late last year, a joint probe revealed on Tuesday. The probe, led by the Ministry of Science and ICT along with private agencies, found that about 33.67 million users' names, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and other details were exposed. Since users could save other people's information such as family members' details on their accounts for orders, the m February 10, 2026
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  South Korea to send submarine to Canadian waters ahead of $41bn bid decision SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - South Korea will deploy a submarine to Canadian waters in June for its first-ever joint naval exercise with Canada, a high-profile move that coincides with Ottawa’s selection process for a $41 billion next-generation submarine program. According to military sources on Tuesday, the deployment will mark the first time a South Korean submarine operates in Canadian waters. The vessel is scheduled to depart in March and cross the Pacific ahead of the dril February 10, 2026
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  South Korea's GS Group posts strong 4Q profit, but full-year earnings slip SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - South Korea’s GS Group reported stronger fourth-quarter earnings on improved refining margins, although full-year profit declined as weakness in petrochemicals and power generation weighed on results. In a regulatory filing on Monday, GS said fourth-quarter revenue rose 1.4 percent from a year earlier to 6.49 trillion won, while operating profit jumped 23.3 percent to 767.2 billion won. For full-year 2025, however, revenue slipped 0.3 percent February 10, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-39: The secret behind sellout in BTS tours  SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - The lightning sellout at the latest ticket opening for BTS’ two shows at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has become a familiar pattern across the global ticket window for the group’s first full seven-member world tour in nearly four years. Both nights vanished within 30 minutes, filling a venue that holds roughly 62,000 people per concert almost instantly. Over two evenings, close to 120,000 fans are expected to pass through the gate February 10, 2026
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  Asian markets advance on Japan-led risk rally; Korean stocks mixed SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Asian markets rose Tuesday after Japan’s postelection surge extended into a second session, setting the tone for regional trading as South Korean stocks lagged the rally. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 2.3 percent to close at 57,650.5, marking a second straight record. The benchmark has risen more than 6 percent in the two days since the election, as investors welcomed policy continuity and prospects for aggressive fiscal support. Elsewhere, Ch February 10, 2026
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  The next big chip from Korea – flash successor to HBM: KAIST expert SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - High-bandwidth memory (HBM) has powered the current AI boom, but soaring costs and capacity limits are shifting attention to what comes next. The next big chip to come from Korea's memory powerhouse will be flash-based successor designed for the inference-heavy phase of AI, according to a chip expert. “Now is the time to move beyond HBM. The era of high-bandwidth flash is coming — and it will unfold within the next decade,” Kim Jung February 10, 2026
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  South Korea's WBC hopes fade as injuries sideline more key players SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Hanwha Eagles' catcher Choi Jae-hoon has been dropped from South Korea's roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC), the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said on Tuesday. The KBO said Choi will be unable to participate in the international tournament, which opens next month, after injuring his finger during the Eagles' winter training. Choi will be replaced by NC Dinos' Kim Hyung-jun. Kim was initially excluded from the roster February 10, 2026
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  Trade chiefs from South Korea, US to meet in Seoul amid Trump's renewed tariff pressure SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - With the U.S. renewing tariff pressure, attention is turning to an upcoming working-level meeting between trade officials in Seoul this week. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources announced Tuesday that its minister Yeo Han-koo is set to hold talks with visiting deputy U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Rick Switzer on Wednesday. The meeting was initially intended to address non-tariff barriers (NTBs), which are measures other than tariffs that re February 10, 2026