Another turbulent year looms for Korea's petrochemical industry in 2026

Editor's Note: AJP is running a series on the 2026 outlook for South Korea's key industries, based on forecasts compiled by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). The first installment examines petrochemicals. SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) - South Korea's battered petrochemical industry, already deep into streamlining and restructuring, is bracing for another difficult year in 2026, with conditions expected to remain cloudy and rain-soaked, according to an industr

December 16, 2025

South Korea's Wemade to launch 'Mir M' role-playing game in China

SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) - South Korean game developer Wemade said Tuesday it will officially launch its multiplayer online role-playing game Mir M in China next month, aiming to regain traction in the world’s largest gaming market. In China, the title will be released as Mir M: Twilight Double Dragons, a modern adaptation of Wemade’s long-running hit Legend of Mir 2. Legend of Mir 2 once dominated China’s online gaming market, capturing a 65 percent market

December 16, 2025

South Korea, US hold consultative talks to coordinate North Korea policy

SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) - Officials from South Korea and the U.S. on Tuesday held talks to coordinate policies toward North Korea. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the consultative meeting among relevant ministries and agencies, led by Jeong Yeon-doo, head of the ministry's office of diplomatic strategy, was held in Seoul, with acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim in attendance. Defense and security officials from both countries also attended, discu

December 16, 2025

Top security adviser heads to Washington to discuss implementation of bilateral agreements

SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) - National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lak on Tuesday left for Washington for working-level talks with U.S. officials this week. His trip comes after South Korea and the U.S. released a comprehensive joint fact sheet last month detailing agreements on bilateral trade and security. Wi is also expected to discuss measures for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. Just before his departure from Incheon International Airport, Wi said, "I will disc

December 16, 2025

Sookmyung Women's University team develops light-activated technology to break down fat

SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) - A research team at Sookmyung Women’s University, led by Professor Byun Jun-ho in the College of Pharmacy, has developed a new nanotechnology that uses light to selectively break down fat inside fat cells, a potential advance toward safer and more precise obesity treatments. The researchers said in the study, announced on December 16, that the approach targets fat without damaging surrounding tissue, addressing safety concerns linked to existing obe

December 16, 2025

Ferrari selects Samsung Display OLED panels for next-generation vehicles

SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) - Ferrari will adopt automotive organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels from Samsung Display for its next-generation vehicles, as the luxury sports carmaker seeks to enhance in-car digital experiences through advanced display technology. The Italian automaker said Tuesday Samsung Display’s panels were selected for their ability to support the innovative designs and form factors required for Ferrari’s future models. “Samsung Displa

December 16, 2025

Generative AI lowers barriers to cyberattacks as hacking cases jump in South Korea

SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) - Hacking crimes in South Korea have surged alongside advances in artificial intelligence, as generative AI tools lower the barriers to launching cyberattacks, according to a report released by the Korean National Police University. The university’s Crime Policy Research Institute said 2,617 hacking cases were recorded between January and September this year, up 30.6 percent from the same period a year earlier. Of those cases, 551 were solved, l

December 16, 2025

KAIST develops stretchable liquid-metal ink for invisible cloaking technology

SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) - Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have developed a stretchable liquid-metal ink that allows electromagnetic cloaking properties to change as the material is stretched, a breakthrough that could expand the practical use of invisible cloaking technology in robotics, wearables, and defense applications. The research was announced on December 16 by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). The study was

December 16, 2025

Korea's nominee to head media regulator approves of Australia-like SNS ban for minors

SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) -South Korea’s nominee to head the new government authority responsible for policy and oversight of legacy and online contents providers said Tuesday the regulator would consider Australia-style protections for minors on social media and take action against illegal practices by Coupang and other platform operators following fact-finding investigations. Kim Jong-cheol, a constitutional law professor at Yonsei University, made the remarks during his

December 16, 2025

Korea's construction sector posts sharpest downturn in decades amid weak domestic demand

SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) - South Korea’s construction industry recorded its sharpest revenue decline since 1999 last year, as weak domestic demand weighed heavily on the sector, official data showed on Tuesday. According to the 2025 Construction Industry Survey released by the National Data Agency, industry revenue fell 3.8 percent from a year earlier to 487.7 trillion won. It marked the largest annual contraction in more than two decades. The downturn w

December 16, 2025