Loose fit, firm grip: Hands on Samsung's first clip-on Galaxy earbuds SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics’ latest Galaxy earbuds perched comfortably around the ears instead of plugging into them. A few jumps and jogging motions later, they were still there, intact with lighter feel. That was the main takeaway from trying the Galaxy Buds On at Samsung’s media briefing in central Seoul on Tuesday. They felt loose enough to raise doubts about their grip, but soon became so unobtrusive that it was easy to forget you had them on. October 20, 2026

Sookmyung professor honored for midlife leggings research SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Most leggings on the market are built around younger women's bodies, and a study measuring how tight they should sit on women in their 40s and 50s has won a Sookmyung Women's University professor a national science paper award. Lim Ho-sun, a professor in Sookmyung's Department of Clothing and Textiles, and her co-author Lee Jong-kyu found that garment pressure should stay below 2.48 kilopascals at the middle of the kneecap, 2.09 kilopascals ju October 20, 2026

Ceragem founder turns CEO into family SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - In a country where corporate empires are often passed from one generation to the next, South Korean healthcare company Ceragem is taking an unusual approach: its founder has made a longtime professional manager his legal son to hand over the business. Ceragem said Tuesday that founder and Chairman Lee Hwan-sung adopted CEO Lee Kyung-soo last year and transferred 10 percent of the company's outstanding shares to him this year, marking the first step in October 20, 2026

Korea pulls diplomats from Kyiv as POW dispute deepens SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - The South Korean government will withdraw part of its embassy staff from Ukraine, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. The move deepens a monthlong dispute with Kyiv over Ukraine's public disclosure that two captured North Korean soldiers had been sent to South Korea. Seoul announced on Oct. 8 that it was recalling its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang. It was the first time South Korea had called an ambassador home from a host country since 2008, wh October 20, 2026

Korean batteries charge ahead as China retreats from US storage SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Chinese batteries that long powered America's grid-scale storage yards are being squeezed out under stricter U.S. regulations, allowing greater room for South Korean producers like LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI. Major Chinese energy storage system (ESS) suppliers have largely withdrawn from U.S. operations this year, Taiwanese media (name), citing U.S. supply chain sources. The reports attributed the retreat to mounting regulatory restrictions, October 20, 2026

HD KSOE wins order from HMM for 8 LNG dual-fuel container ships SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) has won an order worth about 2 trillion won (US$1.4 billion) from HMM, formerly known as Hyundai Merchant Marine, to build eight liquefied natural gas (LNG) container ships, the shipbuilder said Tuesday. The contract for the eight 13,000-TEU LNG dual-fuel container ships is valued at about 1.92 trillion won, adding to HD KSOE's high-value shipbuilding backlog as HMM moves to expand its f October 20, 2026

Nuri to carry first military satellites in 2031 SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - South Korea's homegrown Nuri rocket will carry military satellites for the first time in 2031, under a government plan to launch national satellites on it at least once a year through 2032, the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) said Tuesday. KASA Administrator Oh Tae-seog unveiled the roadmap at a cabinet meeting. Nuri's 11th launch will put four electro-optical satellites for the military's micro-satellite system into orbit. It is the first October 20, 2026

In Mongolia, school can mean leaving home at six: UNICEF representative SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Few children like going to school, but for a six-year-old girl in rural Mongolia the reason can be more straightforward as going to one costs her time with her family for much of the year. For rural herders, sending children to school often means sending them away. More than 36,000 children in Mongolia live apart from their families for up to nine months of the school year, according to UNICEF. "The price they are paying for good education i October 20, 2026

South Korea's sovereign wealth fund returns 6.31% on stock gains SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) — South Korea's sovereign wealth fund posted a 6.31 percent return in the first eight months of 2026, adding $14.6 billion to its portfolio as strong equity gains helped to offset losses in bonds. The Korea Investment Corporation (KIC), which manages government assets invested overseas, saw its assets under management grow from $232 billion at the end of 2025 to $246.6 billion as of August, according to data submitted to Rep. Lee Jong-wook of the op October 20, 2026

Hyundai Rotem to acquire Hyundai Wia defense unit SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - South Korea's Hyundai Rotem plans to acquire Hyundai Wia's defense business for 358.4 billion won ($270 million) to strengthen its defense operations and expand its presence in global markets. Hyundai Rotem said Monday it had signed an agreement to acquire Hyundai Wia's special business division, which manufactures main guns for K2 tanks and gun barrels for K9 self-propelled howitzers. The division also develops naval guns, remote-controlled October 20, 2026