Samsung joins AI data center gold rush with $1 billion Helix bet SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) -Samsung Group has joined the global AI data center gold rush by pledging $1 billion to infrastructure company Helix, expanding the South Korean chip powerhouse’s ambitions from supplying semiconductors to building and powering the facilities that run artificial intelligence. Six Samsung affiliates said Tuesday they would jointly invest in Helix Digital Infrastructure, a company established by global investment firm KKR to develop data centers, powe September 29, 2026

Korea Premium Week 2026 opens in Seoul Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eog-weon, Korea Exchange Chairman and CEO Jeong Eun-bo and other participants pose for a commemorative photo during the opening ceremony of Korea Premium Week 2026 at Lotte Hotel Seoul in Jung District, Seoul, Sept. 28, 2026. September 29, 2026

Tajikistan pitches rare metals to S. Korea for chips, EV batteries SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - Tajikistan offered itself Monday as a long-term supplier of rare and non-ferrous metals for South Korea's semiconductor and electric vehicle battery industries, less than two weeks after the two countries raised their relationship to a comprehensive partnership. The Central Asian country was the world's second-largest producer of antimony in 2024, with 18 percent of global output, according to U.S. Geological Survey figures that exclude U.S. pro September 29, 2026

Zelensky claims 10,000 North Korean troops to join 8,000 in Russia SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) -More than 8,000 North Korean troops are currently on Russian territory and another 10,000 are being trained for deployment, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed Monday in a national address while falling short of mentioning the diplomatic dispute over his disclosure of the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. Citing new defense intelligence, Zelensky said the additional troops were being selected for training and subsequen September 29, 2026

South Korea says North Korean mines 'highly likely' behind DMZ blasts SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - North Korean land mines “highly likely” caused the two explosions that seriously injured patrolling South Korean soldiers in the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone last week and must be accountable if found to have planted them, the South’s military said Monday. "We assess that there is a very high probability that North Korean mines were the cause of the explosions," Lt. Gen. Kwon Dae-won, vice chairman of the Joint Chief September 28, 2026

DMZ blast mystery: Why troops entered a mine area SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - Why South Korean troops were clearing a new route through an unverified mine area ahead of a planned United Nations Command inspection when a blast seriously injured three officers on Sept. 21 remains a mystery. Investigators are racing to find definitive answers before the case becomes a new flashpoint in inter-Korean relations and South Korea’s ideological divide. The blast occurred as troops were opening a route toward an area near the Militar September 28, 2026

When history becomes a movie, what do viewers believe? SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - A South Korean title has returned to the top of the box-office rankings after a lengthy run by “Odyssey” and could become a social hot potato. “The Assassin(s),” directed by Hur Jin-ho, drew about 1.41 million moviegoers during the four-day holiday from Sept. 24 to 27. Its cumulative audience reached 1.57 million by Sunday. The reviews told a more complicated story. Early Monday, the film held a 92 perc September 28, 2026

South Korea's unequal starting lines for love and connection SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - Young South Koreans are becoming more homebound and even reclusive, and a new study points to an educational divide in their social connections in a society still heavily preoccupied with university diplomas. Young adults without a four-year university education and those from outside Seoul showed weaker social connections across several measures, according to a National Assembly Futures Institute (NAFI) study based on a nationwide survey of 5,185 people September 28, 2026

NEX-I files for KOSDAQ IPO to raise up to 65 billion won SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - South Korean cancer drug developer NEX-I has submitted a regulatory filing for a KOSDAQ listing, seeking to raise up to 65 billion won ($47.8 million) through an initial public offering (IPO). The company plans to offer 5 million shares at a proposed price range of 10,500 won to 13,000 won apiece, putting the total offering at between 52.5 billion won and 65 billion won. Korea Investment & Securities is the lead underwriter. Founded in 2021, NEX-I September 28, 2026

Korean bond yields catch up with U.S. and will BOK notice? SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - How far and how long South Korean bonds follow the U.S. counterparts. and whether the market movement affects the rate-setting meeting next two months are being closely watched after the Korean bonds joined the selloff in the U.S. The three-year Korean government bond yield rose 11.3 basis points to close at 4.119 percent, while the benchmark 10-year yield climbed 14.7 basis points to 4.539 percent. The won weakened 7.6 won to close at 1,365.1 per dol September 28, 2026