Samsung Biologics, union to resume mediation SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - Samsung Biologics and its labor union will resume mediation as early as Sept. 8 in a fresh attempt to settle a wage dispute that prompted the first strike in the South Korean contract drug manufacturer's history. The union said Tuesday it expected the talks to "pick up speed" once mediation opens, as the company has agreed to submit its own proposal after the process begins. The Incheon Regional Labor Relations Commission has agreed to br September 1, 2026

Late monsoon pushes online shopping to record high in July SEOUL, September 1 (AJP) - Online shopping in South Korea reached a record high in July, largely due to increased spending on food delivery, according to data released by Statistics Korea on Tuesday. A record 25.01 trillion won (US$18.24 billion) worth of online transactions were made in July, up 7.3 percent from a year earlier and the highest since relevant data were first compiled in 2017. The ministry attributed the increase to more spending on food delivery, groceries and aut September 1, 2026

Samsung unveils "CUBE" strategy for HBM traction SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) -Samsung Electronics is betting on denser, faster and cooler memory to strengthen its position in the HBM race as artificial intelligence drives a fundamental shift in the global memory market. Its new “CUBE” strategy is designed to pack more memory into the same space while shortening the physical distance data must travel — a combination Samsung says can increase bandwidth while reducing power consumption and heat. The strategy come September 1, 2026

Culture ministry to host youth culture week SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - South Korea's culture ministry will hold a two-day youth culture event in Seoul's Hongdae area, bringing together talks, performances, workshops and community booths. The 2026 Youth Culture Week, titled "Today's Youth, Today's Culture," will run Friday and Saturday at a venue on Eoulmadang-ro in Mapo District, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday. The event will be held under the theme "Deepe September 1, 2026

Stray Kids' Felix to roll out solo track SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - Felix of Stray Kids will release a solo digital single, "Slow It Down" on Tuesday as the second installment of the group's self-produced project SKZ-PLAYER, JYP Entertainment said. SKZ-PLAYER is a Stray Kids project in which the group's eight members release music and visual content they helped create, with a focus on their work as musicians and artists. Member Han opened the project in June with "back to life," making F September 1, 2026

Seven in 10 Koreans back age limits on children's social media SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) -More than seven in 10 South Koreans favor age-based limits on minors' access to social media, showed a poll that may influence whether Seoul joins governments around the world in tightening restrictions on children's use of social media. According to a report by the Korea Press Foundation's Media Research Center, 70.7 percent of respondents supported restricting social media use based on age, while 29.3 percent opposed such a policy. Of th September 1, 2026

AI expert advises Korea against copying US, China on physical AI SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - South Korea should not chase the United States and China in the race to build humanoid robots but instead exploit its manufacturing strength to carve out a distinct path in physical AI, a leading roboticist said. Dennis Hong, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, and director of its Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory, told Aju Business Daily on Aug. 29 that Korea would lose if it mimicked the t September 1, 2026

Korea exceeds $90 billion in export SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - South Korea's exports topped $90 billion for a third straight month in August, as record semiconductor shipments offset weaker sales of cars and ships, the trade ministry said Tuesday. Exports rose 68.7 percent from a year earlier to $98.25 billion, while imports climbed 22.5 percent to $63.51 billion, leaving a trade surplus of $34.75 billion, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said. The surplus stayed above $30 billion for a third co September 1, 2026

White House explores steps for possible Trump-Kim deal SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - The White House has asked the U.S. agency responsible for recovering missing service members to outline steps it could take in preparation for possible talks with North Korea. Kelly McKeague, director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), said Monday that his agency had been asked to outline what could realistically be done in the event of an agreement between Trump and Kim. McKeague made the remarks during a virtual discussion hosted by the September 1, 2026

Seoul toughens crackdown on overcharging eateries SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - South Korea will suspend restaurants and other food businesses on their first overcharging offense, moving to curb the price-gouging scandals that have battered the reputation of traditional markets such as Seoul's Gwangjang Market. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Tuesday it had revised and promulgated the enforcement decree of the Food Sanitation Act, replacing a corrective order for a first violation with a five-day suspension effective im September 1, 2026