Korea's Hanwha Ocean bags $1.4-bln order for LNG carriers from Taiwan

SEOUL, September 17 (AJP) - Hanwha Ocean, one of South Korea’s three largest shipyards, has bagged an order of 1.93 trillion won ($1.4 billion) from Taiwan's Yang Ming Marine Transport to deliver seven liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled container ships. The shipbuilder disclosed that the contract calls for construction of seven 15,880 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) LNG dual-fuel containers at Hanwha’s Okpo Shipyard in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, with deliv

September 17, 2025

KAI pins hopes on $7 bn U.S. jet trainer program

SEOUL, September 17 (AJP) - Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is betting big on winning a $7 billion U.S. Navy contract to replace its aging T-45 trainer jets, leaning on its proven record with advanced trainers already in service worldwide. KAI has teamed up with Lockheed Martin to offer the TF-50N, a naval variant of the single-engine T-50 jet trainer that is in service or on order with seven countries. The U.S. Navy will receive proposals for its Undergraduate Jet Training Sy

September 17, 2025

South Korea's industry minister defends nuclear expansion amid policy rift

SEOUL, September 17 (AJP) - The battle over South Korea’s nuclear future flared again Tuesday, as Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan insisted that two new reactors and one small modular reactor must be built, challenging President Lee Jae Myung’s push to emphasize renewable energy. Kim Jung-kwan, minister of trade, industry and energy, told reporters that two new reactors and one small modular reactor (SMR) must be built as planned, despite skepticism from President Lee a

September 17, 2025

Moonies leader appears for questioning over bribery allegations

SEOUL, September 17 (AJP) - Han Hak-ja, leader of the powerful Unification Church, better known as the Moonies, appeared for questioning on Wednesday over allegations involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee. Han, the widow of the church's founder Moon Sun-myung, is suspected of bribing Kim with a luxury bag and jewelry. She is also suspected of colluding with an ex-cult follower in 2022 to give 100 million won (US$72,400) to Kweon Seong-dong, the former leader of the main oppos

September 17, 2025

KAIST develops AI to predict dangerous crowd surges more accurately

SEOUL, September 17 (AJP) - The Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) has developed an artificial intelligence system that can predict when and where dangerous crowd crushes may occur, raising hopes for preventing disasters such as the Itaewon tragedy that occurred in 2022. The research, announced on September 17, was led by Professor Lee Jae-gil of KAIST's School of Computing. The study also involved contributions from Professor Yoon Soo-sik of Korea Un

September 17, 2025

Large-scale expo in Spain to promote Korean culture and products overseas

SEOUL, September 17 (AJP) - Amid the resurgence of the Korean Wave, fueled by the global popularity of K-pop, a large-scale expo will be held in Spain next week to promote Korean culture and products overseas. The expo comes in celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries will run for three days in Madrid from Sept. 28 to 30, featuring participation from various industries including music, gaming, food, cosmetics, and tourism. It is the se

September 17, 2025

SK On names European sales head

SK On, a major player in the global electric vehicle (EV) battery market, has created a new European sales division and appointed Thomas Eller as its head. The appointment of Eller, who has nearly two decades of experience at Continental and a history of working with top-tier automakers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, signals SK On's intent to strengthen its presence in the critical European market. The company's strategy involves creating a "customized coopera

September 17, 2025

POSCO chairman leads South Korea-Australia economic cooperation

POSCO Group Chairman Jang In-hwa, acting as the South Korean chair for the South Korea-Australia Economic Cooperation Committee, is pushing for expanded cooperation beyond traditional economic ties. This push was the central theme of the 46th joint meeting of the committee, held at FKI Tower in Seoul. The gathering, attended by approximately 200 officials from both nations, including Australia-Korea Business Council chair Martin Ferguson, sought to strengthen ties in indust

September 17, 2025

South Korea prepares response to Mexico's tariff hike plan

The South Korean government is taking steps to address Mexico's planned tariff hikes, a move that threatens to disrupt supply chains and raise costs for major South Korean companies. The tariffs, which are part of Mexico's new legislative initiative, are expected to target 1,463 product classifications, a significant increase from previous measures. Affected items include auto parts, steel, home appliances, and textiles — all sectors where South Korean firms hav

September 17, 2025

FM heads to Beijing to discuss Xi's possible visit to South Korea next month

SEOUL, September 17 (AJP) - Foreign Minister Cho Hyun headed to Beijing on Wednesday, making his first trip to China since assuming his post. Cho is set to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi later in the day. Their discussions are expected to focus on Chinese President Xi Jinping's possible visit to South Korea late next month on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the historic city of Gyeongju. Although Beijing has yet to c

September 17, 2025