CEPA 's signing between Korea and Thailand to elevate ties: envoy SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - Contrary to its image abroad as a holiday resort or golfing destination, Thailand is strengthening its technology-driven manufacturing base to revive economic growth that has slowed to below 2 percent, while inviting South Korean capital, technology and expertise to accelerate its digital and industrial transformation, Thailand's ambassador to South Korea said. "Korea in itself is an important market for Thailand, but more uniquely Korea's advan June 25, 2026

Lee vows peaceful Korean Peninsula on war anniversary SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday vowed to build a peaceful Korean Peninsula "free from the fear of war" as the country marked the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950–53 Korean War. Speaking at a ceremony held in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province and attended by war veterans, military officers and government officials, Lee said, "We will protect the people and the territory through strong defense capabilities and build a peaceful Korean June 25, 2026

Think tank upbeat on growth outlook but cautions over chip-driven, uneven recovery SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - South Korea's economy is projected to recover this year, with growth estimated at 2.7 percent, a think tank said on Thursday. The positive economic outlook came at a seminar in Seoul hosted by the Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI), affiliated with the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI). Lee Seung-seok, a senior researcher at the KERI forecast that the country's economy is expected to grow 2.7 percent this year, rebounding from 1.1 perc June 25, 2026

Kazakh and Uzbek leaders discuss strengthening bilateral relations SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - To strengthen their decades-old close friendship and bilateral relations, the leaders of the two largest countries in Central Asia have engaged in a meeting via a phone call on Wednesday (local time) that extends from their April Bukhara meeting, where strategic cooperation in trade, logistics, and energy sectors was discussed. Kazakhstan's Presidential Office said that the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoye June 25, 2026

Chip rally resumes on hynix ADR news and Micron earnings, KOSPI up 5% SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) — South Korean stocks surged toward reclaiming the 9,000 milestone as chip stocks were refueled by multiple catalysts, from Micron Technology's blowout earnings to SK hynix's Nasdaq listing plan and Samsung Electronics' massive buyback program. The benchmark KOSPI opened 5.55 percent higher and was up 5.61 percent at 8,946.02 as of 9:36 a.m. The junior KOSDAQ opened 1.10 percent higher before easing to 913.47, up 0.46 percent. Samsung Elec June 25, 2026

US rules out Hormuz tolls, dozen Korean-run ships remain stranded SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday firmly dismissed the idea of charging tolls on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, saying such a move is "not going to happen." Speaking during a press briefing in Kuwait City as part of his tour of the Gulf region, Rubio said, "I think the whole world will be against any mechanism that charges money to use an international waterway," adding, "When we mean open the straits, we mean op June 25, 2026

Woojin Industrial Systems launches development of 420 km low-floor electric coach SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - Woojin Industrial Systems, a South Korean maker of rail vehicles and electric buses, said it had begun work on a 10.1 billion won ($6.54 million) state-funded project to develop an eco-friendly low-floor electric coach designed for passengers with reduced mobility. The project, announced Thursday by Woojin, draws support from a national research and development scheme run by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, the Korea Institute for Advancement of June 25, 2026

Micron's blowout Q3 and contracts harbinger for extended memory heyday * Updated with additional information SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - Micron Technology Inc. delivered a stunning 74 percent revenue jump for the quarter ended May and projected the AI-driven memory boom to extend well into 2027, setting the stage for another stretch of red-hot earnings for its larger South Korean peers in the memory market powering the AI age from datacenters to smart devices. The U.S. chipmaker posted fiscal third-quarter revenue of $41.46 billion, a 74 percent jump f June 25, 2026

SK hynix takes fight with Samsung to Wall Street via $33 billion ADR issue *Updated with additional information SEOUL, June 24 (AJP) -SK hynix is launching a roughly $33 billion public offering tied to a Nasdaq listing of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), a move that could globalize its shareholder base and intensify its competition with home rival Samsung Electronics beyond memory chips and into the battle for global capital. In a regulatory filing after the Seoul market closed Wednesday, the company said its board approved a plan to list ADRs on t June 24, 2026

Months-long beauty festival kicks off in Seoul in bid to attract foreign tourists SEOUL, June 24 (AJP) - Seeking to turn growing global interest in South Korean beauty products into tourism, the country's annual beauty festival kicked off its months-long run on Wednesday, offering foreign visitors hands-on experiences ranging from skincare consultations to K-pop-inspired makeup sessions. Organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with the Korea Tourism Organization, the festival will run through Sept. 30, with major pop-up event June 24, 2026