OPINION: Why K-food must become trusted global brand

SEOUL, October 31 (AJP) - Korean food has become a fixture on dining tables around the world. In New York, restaurants serve gochujang-marinated steak. In Paris, supermarkets feature kimchi sections. Across Southeast Asia, spicy instant noodles have achieved near–pop culture status. Even in the United States, retailers like Costco and Walmart now boast bustling K-food aisles. What began as a culinary curiosity has evolved into a living cultural experience — one that

October 31, 2025

South Korea's factory output slips in September, but investment surge signals upbeat outlook

SEOUL, October 31 (AJP) - South Korea’s industrial production dipped in September as auto exports faltered under the weight of higher U.S. tariffs, but a sharp rebound in capital investment suggested that the manufacturing sector may be regaining its footing amid a global semiconductor boom and signs of easing trade frictions. According to data released Friday by the Ministry of Data and Statistics, manufacturing output fell 1.2 percent from the previous month — the fi

October 31, 2025

OPINION: China's rare earth leverage tests America — and its allies

SEOUL, October 31 (AJP) - At the APEC summit in Gyeongju, the summit between the leaders of the United States and China drew intense global scrutiny. After months of escalating trade friction, the world watched as Washington and Beijing sought a breakthrough. No major trade deal emerged. Still, the two sides agreed to a temporary pause in their hostilities: China postponed its planned export restrictions on rare earth elements, announced on Oct. 9, while the United States suspende

October 31, 2025

Nvidia's Jensen Huang steals the show in Seoul, outshining Trump and Xi

SEOUL, October 31 (AJP) -Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping may have dominated global headlines during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation events in South Korea, but the figure who truly captivated the Korean public was the chief executive of the world’s most valuable company. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang drew hundreds of reporters the moment he landed in Seoul on Thursday. By evening, the southern Gangnam district had nearly ground to a halt as crowds

October 31, 2025

Seoul nears nuke submarine ambition upon Trump blessing

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - Whether by catering to personal ego or through a calculated diplomatic playbook, Seoul secured what had long seemed unattainable: U.S. backing for a nuclear-powered submarine, delivered during U.S. President Donald Trump's brief visit ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Before departing Korea, Trump posted Thursday that Seoul would build its "Nuclear Powered Submarine in the Philadelphia Shipyards," signaling

October 30, 2025

Court rules NewJeans must remain under ADOR, rejects bid for independence

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - The future of K-pop girl group NewJeans — who shot to global stardom upon their 2022 debut — has been thrown into uncertainty after a Seoul court ruled in favor of their agency HYBE on Thursday. The court determined that all five members remain exclusively bound to ADOR, a HYBE sublabel, until 2029, regardless of their claims of contract breaches and unfair treatment. The decision extinguishes hopes for an early stage comeback for NewJeans,

October 30, 2025

Asian stocks end flat Thursday as U.S.–China talks yield little beyond gestures

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - Asian stock markets ended mostly flat on Thursday, as the highly anticipated summit between the United States and China produced little beyond diplomatic optics, offering no meaningful signals on trade or geopolitical issues. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI slipped 0.2 percent to 4,087, after a volatile session in which the index tested the 4,100 level and touched a fresh intraday high of 4,146.72. Among large caps, Hyundai Motor, Hanwha Ocean, Samsung Ele

October 30, 2025

Korean tech giants vie to win attention with latest innovations at APEC

GYEONGJU, October 30 (AJP) - A trifold handset stole the limelight as South Korean tech heavyweights vied to impress global visitors with next-generation technologies showcased across the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit venue in Gyeongju. All the familiar Korean corporate names — Samsung Group, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group and LG Electronics — mounted large-scale exhibitions at the Expo Park on Thursday, effectively offering a preview of what

October 30, 2025

Leverage builds as South Korean investors chase stock gains

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) — South Koreans are taking on more debt to invest in stocks, as a wave of market optimism drives both leveraged trading and record cash holdings at brokerages. Margin loans — money borrowed from securities firms to buy shares — climbed above 25 trillion won ($18.1 billion) for the first time, reaching 25.1 trillion won as of Thursday, according to data from the Korea Financial Investment Association. That represents an 8 percent increase

October 30, 2025

Xi enters as Trump exits the APEC stage

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - What should have been a venue for championing free trade and regional cooperation on shared challenges — from AI governance to climate change — instead turned into a geopolitical showcase between the world's two superpowers. Gyeongju, the ancient Silla capital hosting South Korea's first APEC summit in 20 years, became the stage for a U.S.–China hegemony face-off as President Xi Jinping arrived just as U.S. President Donald Trump

October 30, 2025