• 
  Korean memory makers eye bumper year to extend into 2026 SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc., enjoying their best-yet bumper cycle, are set to reap more than $20 billion in combined operating income for the quarter ending December, according to upgrades by brokerage houses following stronger-than-expected price gains in memory chips from mass-market to high end. Kiwoom Securities on Monday projected SK hynix’s fourth-quarter operating profit at 16.2 trillion won ($11 billion), about 1.6 trillion won December 9, 2025
• 
  SRT bullet train clocks up over 205 million passengers in nearly a decade SEOUL, December 9 (AJP) - Tuesday marks the 9th anniversary of high-speed rail service Super Rapid Train (SRT). Operator SR Corporation said its high-speed trains, with a maximum speed of 305 km/h, have carried a total of 205 million passengers over the past nine years. Passenger numbers grew sharply from 1 million in 2016 to 26.69 million last year. As of early this week, approximately 24.33 million passengers have used the service this year. The number of daily commuters a December 9, 2025
• 
  KTX-SRT integration after 10 years enabling easier rail access from southern Seoul SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - Korea will merge its two high-speed rail operators — KTX, run by the state-owned Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), and SRT, operated by SR Corporation — by the end of next year, which can enable easier rail travel from southern part of Seoul and reduce overlapping costs. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced Monday that the two services will begin cross-operating their trains in March. Under the plan, SRT trains, December 9, 2025
• 
  3M turns to robotics to meet strict Korean standards for automated tapes HWASUNG, December 09 (AJP) - A multi-axis industrial robot sweeps deliberately across a component panel, its joints pivoting with an almost animal-like fluidity. From a needle-fine nozzle, it extrudes a glossy black ribbon of liquid-form tape that catches the overhead lights before settling into a perfect line. As the machine arcs over curved ridges and dips into semi-circular edges — surfaces that typically force human technicians to slow their breathing and reset their December 9, 2025
• 
  Mercedes-Benz–LG deal marks latest harvest from Korea's high-stakes LFP bet SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - Behind LG Energy Solution's latest $1.4 billion breakthrough with Mercedes-Benz lies a strategic gamble South Korea placed years ago: a belated but deliberate expansion into mid-to-lower-end rechargeable batteries even as China dominated the field. That pivot is now paying dividends as surging demand from AI data centers, along with Western efforts to diversify supply chains away from China, creates fresh openings for Korean players. The long-term December 9, 2025
• 
  Naver's shopping app emerges as Korea's fastest-growing e-commerce platform SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - Naver’s shopping app, Naver Plus Store, has emerged as the fastest-growing platform in South Korea’s e-commerce market this year, according to market data. Data from Sensor Tower released on Tuesday showed that Naver Plus Store ranked first in both downloads and growth in South Korea between January and October, underscoring the success of Naver’s strategy to launch a standalone, AI-focused commerce application. While Coupang conti December 9, 2025
• 
  Golfer Kim Si-woo climbs in world rankings, eyes Masters return SEOUL, December 9 (AJP) - Golfer Kim Si-woo has improved his chances of qualifying for next year's Masters by moving up to 47th in the world golf rankings. In the latest rankings for professional male golfers released by the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) earlier this week, Kim moved up from 54th to 47th, marking his return to the top 50 for the first time since August of last year. The rise in the rankings comes after Kim earned a spot in the Open Championship, the old December 9, 2025
• 
  TRAVEL: Six centuries of history anchor Salgoji Bridge in Seoul's urban sprawl SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - The intersection of ancient history and modern city planning defines this crossing. As the bicycle path widens from the Cheonggyecheon Ecological School in Maja-dong, Seoul, and continues without a traffic signal toward the Han River, a sense of enduring history crosses the stream near Hanyang University. This is the Seoul Salgoji Bridge, designated a Treasure and nearly 600 years old. Among the bridges constructed over the Cheonggyecheon during the Joseon December 9, 2025
• 
  Leverage rises in Korean stock market amid expectations of year-end rally SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) - South Korean retail investors have pushed margin loan balances above 27 trillion won for the first time, driven by growing expectations of a year-end “Santa rally." As of Dec. 5, outstanding margin loans stood at a record 27.076 trillion won. Margin loans — funds borrowed from securities firms to purchase stocks — are widely seen as a barometer of leveraged retail trading activity. Stock-backed loans also increased sharply, ris December 9, 2025
• 
  North Korean leader sends condolence message on Russian ambassador's death SEOUL, December 9 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a condolence message to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the death of Moscow's ambassador to Pyongyang, state media reported on Tuesday. According to North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim said, "The sudden demise of the ambassador at the present time when the development of relations between the and Russia have entered a crucial historic phase is indeed a heartrending eve December 9, 2025