LG Chem targets AI chips at Taiwan expo SEOUL, August 26 (AJP) - LG Chem will bring a lineup of advanced packaging and power semiconductor materials for artificial intelligence chips to SEMICON Taiwan 2026, positioning its materials business for a market that AI demand is expanding rapidly. The company said Wednesday it will exhibit solutions for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and other AI chips at the three-day show, which runs from Sept. 2 to 4 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. SEMICON Taiwan is one of the world& August 26, 2026

Blame game grows as Korean 'ants' get burned in herd trading SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - The blame first fell on the president, who encouraged households to put their money into stocks rather than leveraged housing bets. Then came the financial regulator, criticized for allowing high-risk exchange-traded funds built around South Korea's chip supremacy. The latest to take a seat in Korea’s blame-game musical chairs are so-called finfluencers, the self-styled investment experts whose stock tips, price targets and market predictions fil August 25, 2026

Extreme-heat days nearly double the average this summer in Korea SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) -South Korea has endured nearly twice the usual number of heat-wave days so far this year, with record-breaking temperatures and unusually persistent tropical nights pointing to a summer stretching well into September. The nationwide average number of heat-wave days reached 20.1 from the start of the year through Monday, almost double the seasonal average of 10.4 days, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) Tuesday. A heat-wave day August 25, 2026

Trump's nuclear realism tests Seoul's denuclearization line SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - North Korea, according to U.S. President Donald Trump, is not Iran. Washington may have "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program, as Trump puts it, but Pyongyang already possesses what he describes as 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons — an arsenal he appears more inclined to address through renewed diplomacy and his lingering personal rapport with Kim Jong Un. Trump's contrasting approaches to the two nuclear challenges pos August 25, 2026

South Korean stock market earns 'Rollerkospi' moniker, WSJ says SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has described Korea's stock market as "the world's craziest stock market," highlighting the sharp swings that have rattled investors in recent months. In an article headlined "The World's Craziest Stock Market Has Turned Into a Fright Ride" published on Tuesday, the U.S. newspaper said South Korea, known for producing "Squid Game" and K-pop, now has a stock market showing levels of volat August 25, 2026

Won retreats as long-end Korean bonds rally ahead of BOK SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - The Korean won weakened Tuesday after seven straight gains, and long-dated government bonds rallied ahead of a policy decision by the Bank of Korea (BOK). The won closed daytime trading at 1,386.1 per dollar, weakening 3.7 won from Monday's 1,382.4. It was the currency's first decline in eight sessions. The won briefly strengthened below 1,380 early in the session before reversing. The dollar firmed, and foreign investors continued to sell Ko August 25, 2026

KOSPI rebounds as chip giants recover, institutions step in SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - South Korean stocks staged a sharp rebound Tuesday as chip heavyweights recovered and institutional buying offset heavy foreign selling. The benchmark KOSPI closed at 6,742.74, up 0.68 percent or 45.78 points from the previous session. The index opened 2.40 percent lower at 6,535.93 and fell as low as 6,408.82 before reversing course. It climbed to an intraday high of 6,747.16 and finished near the day's peak. The rebound was broad, with 647 stocks ad August 25, 2026

Lee Chang-dong's latest film picked as South Korea's Oscar entry SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - Director Lee Chang-dong's "Possible Love" has been selected as South Korea's submission for best foreign language film to compete at next year's Academy Awards, the Korean Film Council said on Tuesday. The U.S. movie industry's biggest awards ceremony, which will celebrate its 98th year next year, will be held in Los Angeles on March 15, with each country allowed to submit one film in the Best International Feature Film category, wh August 25, 2026

Uzbekistan marks independence through Islamic heritage SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) -Uzbekistan is marking the 35th anniversary of its independence by looking deeper into its Islamic heritage, bringing journalists, scholars and media executives from around the world to Tashkent for an international conference on the country's civilizational roots and their place in the modern world. The International Media Forum, titled “Islamic Civilization: A New Perspective — New Discoveries,” opened its main program Tuesday at the Ce August 25, 2026

Gartner estimate $1 trillion memory sales, aiding Korean chip stocks SEOUL, Aug. 25 (AJP) — South Korea's two chip bellwethers clawed back steep early losses Tuesday after Gartner forecast a memory boom lasting well into next year, giving investors a fresh reason to look past shareholder-return packages that have done little to restore their shares to June peaks. Samsung Electronics ended Tuesday flat at 257,000 won after losing more than 4 percent earlier in the session. The stock had plunged 8.7 percent Monday after its record sharehol August 25, 2026