Hyundai Motor Group reports record US sales in Q3, driven by EVs, hybrids

SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group reported its best-ever third-quarter sales in the U.S. market, Thursday, signaling resilience despite trade tensions and the looming expiration of key electric vehicle tax credits. The surge was largely attributed to burgeoning demand for its environmentally friendly vehicles. The combined U.S. sales for Hyundai and its affiliate Kia reached 480,175 units in the third quarter, a substantial 12 percent increase compared to the same

October 2, 2025

Re-living Korea's past and enjoying today dictate foreign visits to Korea

SEOUL, October 2 (AJP) - "Gat," the black wide-brimmed hat once essential for Korean men stepping into public, may become this year's hottest Halloween costume in Western societies. The iconic headgear – spotlighted in Saja Boys' "Your Idol" stage performance that won global fans and in Netflix's blockbuster "KPop Demon Hunters" – is now a must-try at Everland, Korea's largest theme park in Yongin, just south of Seou

October 2, 2025

G-Dragon, Park Ji-sung, and other Korean superstars pitch APEC 2025

SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) - The APEC 2025 organizing committee released a special promotional video ahead of the summit. K-pop star G-Dragon stars as the ambassador, with cameo appearances by director Park Chan-wook, soccer player Park Ji-sung, IVE's Jang Won-young, chef Ahn Sung-jae, and DJ Peggy Gou. Directed by award-winning Shin Woo-seok, the video begins with APEC members gathering at a fusion Korean restaurant, symbolizing Korea's cultural heritage. President Le

October 2, 2025

INTERVIEW: At Woori's Gangnam center, Kim Jae-sang builds home for super-rich

SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) - With global stock markets buoyant and demand for tangible assets rising, wealthy investors in South Korea are reassessing where to put their money. For Kim Jae-sang, head of Gangnam Financial Center of Woori Securities, the answers lie in gold — and in Asia’s two largest economies. “Gold has transitioned from a safe haven and inflation hedge to an investment asset,” Kim said in an interview. “And when it comes to equities,

October 2, 2025

SK Biopharm's US arm posts record sales of epilepsy drug

SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) - SK Life Science, the U.S. subsidiary of South Korea’s SK Biopharm, reported record sales of its epilepsy treatment cenobamate in the first half of this year, reaching 170,000 cumulative prescriptions. The company highlighted the achievement during its annual “Plan of Action” meeting in Chicago, as it looks to build momentum in one of the world’s most competitive pharmaceutical markets. More than 130 employees from SK Life Scie

October 2, 2025

South Korea emerges as new hub in Asian drug trade after first joint bust with US DEA

SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) - South Korea's first joint drug operation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has exposed a shift that officials had long warned about. The country is no longer just a market for narcotics but is being used as an exporter and transit hub in the regional drug trade. Police in South Gyeonggi Province said Wednesday that they arrested a 35-year-old woman who ran a beauty supply export company in Uiwang and a man in his 20s who helped with

October 2, 2025

OpenAI on board, Korea's AI drive and chip stock rally hit the accelerator

SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) - South Korea has hit the accelerator in the global race for AI supremacy, drawing global capital and top-tier software players while leveraging its world-class chip and hardware infrastructure to establish itself as Asia’s hub for data centers. On Wednesday, the country’s two leading conglomerates—Samsung and SK Group, both home to the world’s biggest memory chipmakers—announced landmark partnerships with OpenAI, the creator o

October 2, 2025

Military postpones annual field training to mid-November

SEOUL, October 2 (AJP) - The military has postponed its large-scale field training to mid-November. The annual "Hoguk Exercise," involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force, initially scheduled for the fourth week of October, will now be held from Nov. 17 to 21, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday. The postponement comes as South Korea prepares for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the historic city of Gyeongju from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, to ensure sa

October 2, 2025

Jeju Samdasoo, Korea's top bottled water brand, eyes global expansion

SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) - For nearly three decades, Jeju Samdasoo has dominated South Korea’s bottled water market. Now, the company is turning to international markets in search of growth, as competition at home intensifies and consumer habits shift. Baek Kyung-hoon, chief executive of Jeju Development Corporation, which produces Samdasoo, said the company is targeting 600 billion won, or about $435 million, in revenue by 2035. “Domestically, our real competitors

October 2, 2025

Park Bo-gum to promote hanbok globally in time for Chuseok

SEOUL, October 2 (AJP) - A series of giant billboard ads featuring actor Park Bo-gum is set to appear in several major cities overseas including Times Square, New York next week, coinciding with Chuseok, one of the country's biggest holidays. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Thursday, the ads showing Park in hanbok or traditional Korean dress will light up the streets of New York, Milan, and Tokyo for a week, starting from Chuseok Day,

October 2, 2025