Kakao workers stage first walkout in company history over bonus dispute SEOUL, June 10 (AJP) - Kakao's labor union launched the first partial strike in the company's history, escalating a standoff with management over performance bonuses. The walkout ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with an hour-long midday break on Wednesday, amounting to about four hours of stoppage. Union members marched through the company's Pangyo branch in Seongnam, south of Seoul. Workers at five entities — the main Kakao corporation, Kakao Pay, Kakao Enterprise, D June 10, 2026

What does SpaceX's upcoming IPO signal for Asia? SEOUL, June 10 (AJP) - For years, investing in space felt more like science fiction than finance, more akin to dreaming about Mars. Fascinating and ambitious, it nevertheless seemed far distant from everyday economic activity. But that is beginning to change. Should SpaceX move ahead with its initial public offering (IPO) later this week, the larger story is not the stock itself. It is the arrival of the space industry as a mainstream industrial sector, one that could reshape techno June 10, 2026

Russian envoy stresses restoration of bilateral ties with South Korea amid diplomatic strain SEOUL, June 09 (AJP) - Russian Ambassador to South Korea Georgy Zinoviev pushed for repairing relations between Moscow and Seoul during a diplomatic reception Tuesday, pointing to recent remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin to back his stance. Hosting the Day of Russia event at the embassy in Seoul, Zinoviev pointed out that while the two nations have shared decades of strong cooperation, their relationship is currently dealing with serious roadblocks. "Nonetheless, June 9, 2026

Won gains on NPS hedge; bonds rebound SEOUL, June 09 (AJP) - The South Korean won extended its gains for a second straight day Tuesday after foreign exchange authorities formalized currency hedging measures for the National Pension Service (NPS). The bond market also rebounded for the first time in four sessions, helped by bargain-hunting and reports that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) may keep its government bond purchases at current levels. In the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won closed at 1,512.1 per dollar, up 22.9 w June 9, 2026

North Korea returns to international headlines amid renewed China-Russia rivalry SEOUL, June 09 (AJP) - North Korea's young ruler Kim Jong-un, who once dominated international headlines through his unprecedented courtship with U.S. President Donald Trump during the latter's first term, is back on front pages – this time under the arms of the elder strongmen of a resurgent authoritarian axis. During his latest visit to Pyongyang — his first in seven years — Chinese President Xi Jinping called for expanded exchanges with North Korea in June 9, 2026

KOSPI recoups most of Black Monday losses with volatility at all-time high SEOUL, June 09 (AJP) -South Korean stocks recouped most of Monday's historic losses in a dramatic rebound Tuesday, underscoring the extreme volatility that has made the local market one of Asia's most turbulent trading venues. The benchmark KOSPI surged 8.18 percent to close at 8,096.93, recovering nearly all of the previous session's 8.29 percent plunge. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ also rebounded sharply, rising 6.19 percent to 967.81. The violent swing pushed South Korea& June 9, 2026

From chicken to K-pop: why Jensen Huang fell for Korea's soft power SEOUL, June 09 (AJP) — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang surely knew how to mix business with pleasure. He returned home Tuesday with deals on not just memory chips for Nvidia's next-generation Rubin and Vera platforms, but also bags of HBM chip snacks to munch on and the lingering aftertaste of chicken, soju and Korean hospitality. Since his arrival last Friday, Huang dominated headlines and social media feeds, shuttling between beer and soju gatherings with Korean tech giants June 9, 2026

Seoul sees no rift with Washington over nuclear subs despite U.S. bill SEOUL, June 09 (AJP) - South Korea said Tuesday there is no disagreement with the United States over its ambition to build nuclear-powered submarines domestically, despite a move in the U.S. Congress to bar Navy combat vessels from being built at foreign shipyards. The government said Washington understands Seoul's plans and that the two sides remain in "close consultations" following the launch of follow-up talks on security agreements earlier this month. "As June 9, 2026

Kakao to stage first-ever strike as pay dispute deepens SEOUL, June 09 (AJP) - The labor union at Kakao, South Korea's dominant messaging and fintech operator, will hold its first walkout in the company's history, marking a turning point in a protracted dispute over performance-based pay. The action is the first since the founding of IweLab, Kakao's predecessor, in 2006, the union said. It comes after a second round of mediation at the Gyeonggi Regional Labor Relations Commission collapsed in late May, granting the union the June 9, 2026

Germany courts Samsung, SK hynix for Eastern Germany semiconductor hub SEOUL, June 09 (AJP) - Germany is actively wooing South Korean semiconductor giants, including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, to invest in its eastern region, pitching its robust microelectronics and photonics ecosystem as a key to global supply chain resilience. During an investment briefing hosted at The Plaza Hotel Seoul on Tuesday, Elisabeth Kaiser, Minister of State to the Minister of the Federal Ministry of Finance and Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany, June 9, 2026