Three domestic films set for release in time for Chuseok SEOUL, September 9 (AJP) - A slew of South Korean films are set to compete during the peak box-office season of Chuseok or Korean Thanksgiving, which begins later this month. The lineup ranges from an office drama to a historical mystery and the final installment of a long-running crime series, setting up a three-way race at the box office, which has recently been dominated by foreign big-budget films such as Hollywood's epic saga "Odyssey" and the latest installme September 9, 2026

U.S. bidder challenges Hanwha with higher offer for Austal USA SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - A U.S.-led investment group has emerged as a rival to Hanwha in the race for Austal USA, offering as much as $1.35 billion for the American shipbuilding business, above the South Korean defense group's earlier proposal. “Austal has received a non-binding indication of interest from a syndicate led by Wildcat Resources LLC” to acquire Austal USA, the Australian shipbuilder said in a filing to the Australian Securities Exchange on Wednesday. September 9, 2026

Three in 100 Korean students report school violence SEOUL, September 9 (AJP) -Nearly three in every 100 South Korean students confessed they had suffered school violence, suggesting tougher monitoring and crackdowns have yet to rein in bullying, government data showed Wednesday. According to the Ministry of Education (MOE), the share of students reporting that they had experienced school violence rose to 2.9 percent in the first nationwide survey of 2026, up 0.4 percentage point from 2.5 percent a year earlier. “As young pe September 9, 2026

KOSPI tops 7,000 as fiber trade lifts Seoul and Tokyo SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - A fiber-optic supply contract signed in the United States reshaped trading across Northeast Asia on Wednesday, lifting cable and wire makers in both Seoul and Tokyo. The rally carried South Korea's benchmark KOSPI to its first close above 7,000 since July 23. The KOSPI rose 97.12 points to 7,051.64, a gain of 1.4 percent. The KOSDAQ, South Korea's secondary board for smaller and technology-focused companies, climbed 18.49 points to 830.37, u September 9, 2026

South Korea takes state-led route in AI race as latecomer SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - America's biggest technology companies are preparing to pour roughly $725 billion into artificial intelligence infrastructure this year. South Korea cannot come close to matching that private-sector firepower. So Seoul is reaching for something Silicon Valley does not need nearly as much — the state balance sheet. The government's 2027 budget bill submitted to the National Assembly on Sept. 3 lifts spending on AI and three linked mega-pro September 9, 2026

XIIlab rises after winning NVIDIA-backed AI vision challenge SEOUL, September 9 (AJP) - South Korean artificial intelligence startup XIIlab rose nearly 5 percent Wednesday after winning a computer vision competition that tested whether models trained on synthetic images could perform effectively in real-world conditions. Shares traded at 11,760 won ($8.46) as of 2:09 p.m. on the KOSDAQ, up 4.91 percent from the previous close of 11,210 won. The stock opened at 11,800 won and climbed as high as 12,690 won during the session before giving back September 9, 2026

Samsung deepens Galaxy Watch heart-health push SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - The smartwatch is no longer merely a supplement to a smartphone. Samsung Electronics is pushing its latest Galaxy Watch deeper into preventive health care, seeking to turn a device once used mainly for checking messages and counting steps into an always-on health monitor capable of spotting changes before users themselves notice them. The effort also puts Samsung in a more direct contest with Apple, which has steadily transformed the Apple Watch into September 9, 2026

KRX to halt overnight derivatives trading over Chuseok SEOUL, September 9 (AJP) - Overnight trading for derivatives will be suspended during Chuseok or Korean thanksgiving, the Korea Exchange (KRX) said on Wednesday. The suspension, which comes to reduce risks for investors, will be effective from 6 p.m. on Sept. 23 to 6 a.m. the following day. Overnight transactions are normally settled together with the ones from the following day's regular session. However, because the market will be closed for one of the country's biggest September 9, 2026

Xi, Putin send congratulatory messages as North Korea marks 78th anniversary SEOUL, September 9 (AJP) - North Korea unveiled congratulatory messages from Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, with both leaders pledging to strengthen ties with Pyongyang, as the reclusive country marked the 78th anniversary of its founding on Wednesday. The messages sent to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ahead of the anniversary were featured on the front page of the state-run Rodong Sinmun, commemorating the country's establishment on Sep September 9, 2026

Smilegate divorce may top Chey's as Korea's costliest at $1.79 bln SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - A Seoul court ordered Smilegate founder Kwon Hyuk-bin to pay his estranged wife roughly 2.4 trillion won ($1.79 billion) in stock, the largest divorce settlement in South Korean history. The Seoul Family Court granted the divorce petition filed by the wife, surnamed Lee, and ordered that the award be paid in shares rather than cash. "The marriage has broken down to a point beyond repair," the court said, adding that both spouses bore equal re September 9, 2026