NCT Dream members renew contracts with SM Entertainment SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - All six members of NCT Dream have renewed their contracts with SM Entertainment, the talent agency said on Thursday. According to SM Entertainment, Chenle, Haechan, Jaemin, Jeno, Jisung and Renjun decided to remain with the agency based on their mutual trust and commitment to the group, with Haechan having already completed his contract renewal. NCT Dream debuted in August 2016 as a subunit of NCT, releasing songs including "Hot Sauce," "He August 20, 2026

Kookmin students win grand prize at Korea AI content festival SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - A music video created by Kookmin University students, depicting a man who tries to break off his relationship with the robots that think for him, then orders another one, has won the top prize in its category at a South Korean competition for work made using artificial intelligence solutions. The film, titled "Epos," was made by five undergraduates in Kookmin University's Department of AI Design working under the team name Holy. It beat 255 o August 20, 2026

South Korea's net foreign assets shrink as stock rally boosts foreign-held shares SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - South Korea's net foreign assets fell sharply to US$64 billion in the second quarter, as a stock market rally boosted the value of South Korean shares held by foreign investors, even as the country's net debt balance improved. The country's net international investment position or net IIP fell by $689.5 billion from $753.6 billion at the end of March, according to preliminary data released by the Bank of Korea on Thursday. "What matters, August 20, 2026

Listed companies see profits more than triple in H1 on chip boom SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - South Korea's major listed companies saw their first half profits more than triple, driven by strong semiconductor earnings and broader gains across industries. According to data released earlier this week by the Korea Exchange (KRX) and the Korea Listed Companies Association (KLCA), combined revenue at 634 KOSPI listed companies rose 28.84 percent from a year earlier to 2,000.13 trillion won (US$1.4 trillion). Operating profit surged 254.15 percent t August 20, 2026

US ambassador meets American executives in first Seoul business talks SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - The new U.S. ambassador to South Korea met senior executives from American companies operating in the country on Thursday, her first group engagement with the U.S. business community since taking up her post three weeks ago. The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea hosted Michelle Steel for a breakfast roundtable at its office in Yeouido, Seoul. The chamber, founded in 1953, says it represents more than 800 member companies and affiliates, making it the l August 20, 2026

KAIST solves oxygen problem blocking 3D memory for AI chips SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - In a bid to stabilize memory stacked directly on top of artificial intelligence chips, a joint research team led by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said Thursday it had developed an insulating film that steers oxygen atoms toward the parts of a vertical memory transistor that need them and away from the parts they damage, allowing the devices to achieve higher current flow and longer data retention. The device held its electrical cha August 20, 2026

FSS to renew rules requiring collateral for OTC derivatives SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) will extend rules requiring financial firms to set aside collateral for certain derivatives traded directly between financial institutions for another year, the financial watchdog said on Thursday. The rules are designed to limit potential losses and prevent problems at one financial institution from spreading to others. They were due to expire later this month but will be renewed and remain in effect from Sept. 1, aff August 20, 2026

Annual festival in Wonju to showcase cultural diversity SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - The provincial city of Wonju will host its annual cultural festival next month, offering food, games and other activities from around the world, organizers said on Thursday. Now in its fourth year, the festival, known as the WOW Festival, will take place Sept. 5 at the Wonju Dancing Performance Hall in Gangwon Province, featuring booths showcasing traditional games, clothing, food and cultural programs from around the world. Food booths and trucks will of August 20, 2026

KOSPI rebounds sharply on SK hynix's buyback plan SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI opened sharply higher Thursday, with SK hynix shares jumping more than 6 percent as the chipmaker began buying back 40 trillion won (US$28.8 billion) of its own shares. The index rose 159.10 points or 2.5 percent to 6,630.27 points shortly after the day's trading began. That recovered about two-fifths of the previous session's 398.66-point plunge, when the main index in Seoul fell 5.8 percent and the Korea Exchang August 20, 2026

Trump seeks talks with North Korean leader as Pyongyang remains skeptical SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he expects to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year. When asked whether he expects to meet Kim, Trump told reporters at the White House, "Yeah, I will be." But he did not provide details about when or where the meeting could take place. Trump also said North Korea has "57 very powerful nuclear weapons," while reiterating his "good" relationship with Kim. But th August 20, 2026