Hyundai Motor Group revamps labor command at Mobis SEOUL, May 06 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group has reportedly created a vice president-level post dedicated to labor affairs at parts affiliate Hyundai Mobis and tapped Jeong Sang-bin, head of Hyundai Motor's policy development office, to fill it, as the country's largest automaker tightens its grip on union risk across the supply chain. The group also elevated oversight of labor relations to the president level, naming Kia President Choi Jun-young as the new chief of the policy May 6, 2026

AI boom reshapes South Korea's top 500 companies by sales SEOUL, May 6 (AJP) - South Korea's top 500 companies by sales saw a major reshuffle, with 35 firms newly joining or dropping off the list amid the growing influence of artificial intelligence-related sectors including semiconductors, defense, and batteries. According to a report released Tuesday by corporate tracker CEO Score, electronics giant Samsung Electronics remained No. 1 with 333.61 trillion won (US$230 billion) in sales as of the end of last year, up 10.9 percent from a May 6, 2026

KOSPI rockets above 7,300 in record-breaking chip rally *Updated with performance of other Asian markets. SEOUL, May 06 (AJP) - What once seemed improbable has rapidly become reality as South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI vaulted above the 7,300 mark on Wednesday, just three weeks after reclaiming the 6,000 level as feverish foreign buying turbocharged semiconductor and AI infrastructure stocks despite lingering uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz crisis. As of 10:09 a.m., the KOSPI stood at 7,325.31, up 5.60 percent from M May 6, 2026

OPINION: US cybersecurity requirements emerge as key hurdle for South Korean defense firms SEOUL, May 6 (AJP) - Under the U.S. Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), which took effect in November last year and requires contractors to verify their cybersecurity practices to protect sensitive information, companies cannot enter the U.S. defense market without compliance. The CMMC, enforced by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), applies not only to prime contractors that deliver directly to the Pentagon, but also to subcontractors supplying parts and raw materials May 6, 2026

Celltrion posts record Q1 as new biosimilars drive earnings surge SEOUL, May 06 (AJP) - South Korean biopharmaceutical firm Celltrion reported its strongest first-quarter results on record, as a wave of newly launched biosimilars accelerated overseas sales and pushed operating profit more than twofold higher. According to regulatory filings released Wednesday, the company logged consolidated revenue of 1.14 trillion won ($779.43 million) and operating profit of 321.9 billion won for the three months ended March 31, up 36 percent and 115.5 percent, May 6, 2026

Coupang hit by biggest loss since 2021 as breach fallout dents growth SEOUL, May 06 (AJP) -Coupang, grappling with eroding confidence among South Korean regulators and consumers following a major data breach late last year, saw its largest quarterly loss in more than four years as revenue growth sharply slowed in the first quarter. The New York-listed company on Tuesday reported an operating loss of $242 million for the January-March period, reversing from a $154 million profit a year earlier and the red nearly wiping out half of its an May 6, 2026

KAIST researchers develop silicon-based hardware for complex optimization problems SEOUL, May 06 (AJP) - Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have developed a silicon-based hardware platform designed to solve complex combinatorial optimization problems, the institute said Wednesday. A joint research team led by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Professors Choi Yang-kyu and Kim Sang-hyun from the School of Electrical Engineering succeeded in implementing an oscillatory Ising machine using standard sili May 6, 2026

Aju News Corporation Chairman Kwak Young-kil receives Korea University Alumni Award SEOUL, May 05 (AJP) - Aju News Corporation Chairman Kwak Young-kil received the Proud Korea University Alumni Award on Tuesday, using the platform to advocate for a transition to spirit-centered artificial intelligence to ensure human control over technology. The award recognizes the contributions Kwak has made to South Korean media and his philosophical approach to the intersection of humanities and technology. His speech at the ceremony defined a new vision for artificial intell May 5, 2026

South Korea reviews Hormuz mission after Trump demands military support SEOUL, May 05 (AJP) - The South Korean presidential office Blue House announced Tuesday it is reviewing military participation in a United States-led maritime operation following an explosion on a South Korean cargo ship. The move indicates a shift in Seoul's policy as it evaluates international maritime security against its own domestic legal requirements and peninsula defense needs. The HMM NAMU, a vessel operated by the flagship carrier HMM, suffered an explosion and fire a May 5, 2026

South Korea's annual labor hours drop to 1,739 by 2030: data SEOUL, May 05 (AJP) - South Korea is projected to reduce its annual labor hours to 1,739 by 2030, a shift that signals the nation's gradual departure from a culture of long-duration work toward global standards, data released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor showed Tuesday. The trajectory, identified in a report by the Korean Association of Industrial Relations, meets the objective of the lbor ministry to align with the average of the Organisation for Economic Co-operat May 5, 2026